I thought it was an interesting conversation. Here are 2 young and very successful programmers talking about how they are operating remote companies. They talk about OKRs, meetings, and other minutia of remote work.
My take is that Jack is a really smart guy trying to do good with his companies. I cannot imagine the stress that running Twitter has to be. Here is a platform that definitely assisted Donald Trump in becoming the politician he is today, but that topic was not discussed at all. Matt definitely made this an easy friendly space to talk business.
It is good to hear that Jack is leaning fully into remote work at his companies. Companies that don’t do this are going to struggle moving forward. Now that people have a taste of what remote work is like from a personal and management perspective they aren’t going to want to go back. Listening to this podcast might be best for people who aren’t remote yet.
We have been in Virginia for a few weeks and the weather has been cold and rainy. We haven’t had snow but there has been a bit of Cold Weather Riding going on. Today the temperature was warmer and I didn’t have to wear all of the clothing. It was a great ride.
Our mission was to ride just over 20 miles to West Point, VA (no, not where the military academy is based) for an Impossible Burger at Burger King. The roads were primarily 2 lane with no paint marks and no shoulders. Drivers were mostly considerate and we had a great time.
There are a lot of websites for touring/bikepacking that show up in the search engines. Crazy Guy On A Bike is not one of them. It looks like Craiglists stoner brother but inside are the best personal bike journals on the planet. You can search any region on the planet earth and find journals of when someone rode through.
Outside of that there is a lot of information about bike touring that has no commercial bias. Its rough around the edges and full of useful information and endless reasons to ride your bike everywhere and anywhere.
One of the best things I have learned, but not mastered, is the #1 Rule of Improv:“Yes, and…”. In that game someone starts the game by telling part of a story. When they are ready to pass to someone else they stop talking and point at the person. That person can say anything they want but they have to start by saying: “Yes, and…” then they go into whatever they want to talk about.
In an Improv class the goal is to create funny situations. Outside of Improv this process can be used in brainstorming sessions. In a brainstorming session the goal is to come up with new ideas for products, solutions, and what to have for lunch. By replying only with “Yes, and…” people need to make sure they have listened and considered the benefits of what was shared. Otherwise the room gets really quiet.
“Yes, and…” works because it stays focused on being positive and progressing the conversation. Not all conversations need this approach but I would argue that most could be improved using it. If for nothing else it will reduce negative conversations. You can still think critically but you have to figure out how to vocalize it in an agreeing and positive manner.
How many family discussions could we save by smiling and replying with “yes, and…” to the relative we most disagree with? Its hard for someone to disagree with you when you just agreed with them. Even if the rest of your reply calls them out the conversation has been diffused and should take on a different tone from that point on.
Yes, and we should also just be nicer to each other.
Yes, and the nicer we are to each other the happier we will all be.
Anytime the temperature hits 39℉ I feel you can call it Cold Weather Riding. Since the start of December this has been our riding reality pretty much every ride. Even if there are parts of the ride in the 40’s at least the start and/or the end of the ride have qualified for Cold Weather Riding.
Cold Weather Riding is just like Warm and Hot Weather Riding except that you are cold. The key to not getting cold is to stay warm which is done by layering up your clothing. Typically when I ride I wear socks, shorts, short sleeve jersey, fingerless gloves, headband (for sweat), helmet, and sunglasses. Layering up for Cold Weather Riding means starting there and adding more.
When it is 39℉ or colder I generally have all of my riding clothing on which means I can ride in temperatures as low as 8℉. Any lower than that and I should consider walking, driving, or staying indoors. All of my gear means thick socks, shoe covers, tights, long sleeve jersey, heavy riding jacket, lobster gloves, neck gator, and helmet cap.
The main issue I run into with all of that on is getting too hot. The problem with getting too hot is that you sweat and then that sweat can turn into ice. Once your clothing starts to ice up you can get into big trouble with frost bite and hypothermia really quickly.
This is why you want to build up your clothing in thin layers. Then as you heat up you can stop and remove a layer and then continue on. If you start getting cold again you can put those layers back on.
Personally I have found that if I feel a little cold as I start a ride then I will be fine. As I ride my body will heat up from the activity of pedaling my bike. If I am comfy or warm when I leave then I am going to be too hot pretty quickly and will start considering what to take off and when. If I am too cold when I start then I think about what I might want to add. And, yes it is as accurate as the story of Goldilocks.
For gloves I mentioned “lobster gloves” and I am guessing you aren’t sure what I am referring to here. If you have been cycling in cold weather you may have seen other cyclists wearing gloves with fewer than 4 fingers. These people have either lost some of their fingers or are wearing lobster style gloves. The originals, as far as I am aware, are the Pearl Izumi Lobster Gloves™. They combine the idea of a mitten with some functionality of a glove. I prefer the Planet Bike Borialis cause the name is better, the company is better, and the glove is better:
My ring and pinky fingers get to warm each other up but I still have my trigger finger for shifting and one finger breaking.
These gloves have allowed me to ride comfortably in Cold Weather Riding and still have total control of the bike. They are pretty much ski gloves but the combined pinky and ring fingers make them even warmer.
For my neck gator I am a big fan of Buff ThermoNet . They are seamless so you never get chafing and they can be used in a multitude of ways. I have a lighter one that I use in the summer for a headband.
For helmet caps I recommend getting a dedicated skull cap for Cold Weather riding. Since Kate needed one too we got this 3 pack:
These fit perfectly under your helmet and keep your head nice and warm on the coldest of days. If you need more you can pull the Buff over and make a balaclava.
You dont have to spend a ton of money to do Cold Weather Riding but you do need to spend something. Frost bite and hypothermia can happen very quickly and be a real bummer for you. If you are in doubt about what to wear in your area head to your local bike shop and ask questions. They can even sell you some of the gear and give you advice on anything else. Heck leave a comment here and maybe I can help.
Back on the bike today, first time in a week. Since the weather turned cold I have been riding mainly on the weekend. During the week its too cold in the morning and too dark after work to ride. Unfortunately the valve stem on my front tire started to leak and I was only able to ride for a short time.
This also prompted an emergency visit to a local bike shop as I don’t have any tools for repairing a valve stem. On a bike with inner tubes this isn’t as big of an issue since you can just change the inner tube. My bike is equipped with tubeless tires, which are really awesome, but I did not have spare valve stems for tubeless tires.
Why tubeless?
Bicycles typically use inner tubes as they are easy to maintain and remain inflated longer. However the inner tube has difficulties at lower and higher pressures. At lower pressure they can pinch flat and at higher pressure they explode before a tubeless design does. This is why most cars use tubeless designs.
The drawbacks to a tubeless tire is that they are more complicated and messy. The tubeless tire has to seal to the rim tightly since it needs to seal the air in the tire with no inner tube. This means the rim of the tire also needs to have better sealing capabilities. The rim also needs to have a seal over the spokes. Finally a valve stem that seals to the rim has to be used. This valve stem is tightened snug to the rim.
The repair
My bike is pretty old. So when things like a little valve stem start leaking I am not surprised. I am also not surprised that the repair is probably going to involve a replacement. Once I found a local bike shop open I was happy to hear they would try to repair it, but was ready to hear they were going to replace it. We are talking about $5 for the part so not a huge deal.
I was just happy that the bike shop was full of people wearing their masks, and that the mechanic dropped what he was working on to help. Little interruptions are the bane of getting projects done. While a valve stem replacement isn’t a huge project it is messy.
This is because tubeless bicycle tires are filled with sealant to repair small punctures. Every time I see it work I am amazed and really happy that I don’t need to change an inner tube. When something small like a thorn punctures the tire the sealant swarms around it. When you pull the thorn out the sealant seals up the hole and you keep riding.
The sealant is super sticky and messy and no matter how many times you do it, you will make some amount of mess. I was just happy that someone else was getting messy this time.
The good news is that this mechanic was a pro and made very little mess and got my tire back in action! I bought 2 additional valve stems from the shop so that if I have another issue now I can repair it myself. While I appreciate having someone work on my bike I don’t like spending the time driving to the shop and then paying someone to fix me up.
The other good news is that tomorrow is supposed to be much warmer than today.
Got on the bike this morning and started riding to Chicken Creek Nordic center. Its a 40 minute rode from my home that starts on pavement then turns into a nice dirt road ride. I ride there a lot because it’s close to my home, and gets me into the San Juan National Forest the fastest. Today I started off thinking I would go for a two and a half hour ride. Seven hours later I rolled back into the compound with a new route completed.
For most of the summer I have been riding into the Chicken Creek Nordic center, and then riding up Chicken Creek road. These rides range anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours depending on how far I go. One ride that I have been thinking about is using Morrison 610 to connect to Highway 145 and then creating a 60+ mile loop back to the small town of Dolores and then home:
The big issue was that I haven’t ridden any of Morrison 610, and my only food was a package of ShotBloks. The good news was that I had plenty of water, and when I got to Dolores I could stop for Gatorade, potato chips, and candy bars. If I got to Dolores…
The temperature was chilly but not cold. With a skull cap, light jacket, and warm gloves I lost some feeling in my fingers but overall was comfortable. After one and a half hours of riding I was too warm for the jacket and gloves. 30 minutes later I switched the cap out for my regular headband. I was feeling very good, but also knew I had a long way to go.
One issue I immediately had with the Morrison 610 trail is that it’s a multi use trail. This means that ATV’s and dirt bikes can ride it. I have friends that tell me dirt bikes help break a trail in for mountain bikes. Yeah right. More like they break a trail.
The issue with anything with an engine is that it can spin it’s tires out anytime. This erodes the trail and leaves large roots and rocks which are not fun to ride a bike on. Personally I don’t see the need for recreational vehicles. If you want to recreate then get a bike or go for a hike. </rant>
The silver lining is that the 560 forest road kept criss-crossing the trail. The second time I crossed it I stopped and check my Trailforks app to see if the 560 forest road was a valid option. Sure enough it was and I could avoid riding the worst eroded part of Morrison 610 by riding on a mostly nicer road for about 4 miles.
The aspen trees in our area have been changing color for a few weeks, but it seemed like they were at peak color today. Half the forest was bright yellow and beautiful. The views definitely helped distract me from the climbing. Eventually I got back on Morrison 610 a short distance from the downhill to Bear Creek Trailhead.
The downhill section of Morrison 610 into the Bear Creek Trailhead on Highway 145 is only 2.5 miles but it has 1800 ft of elevation loss. There were a few trees that had fallen across the trail which I had to dismount for. Part of making a 60+ mile bike ride fun is not falling on a tree, or at all.
It was breathtaking in a few ways:
It got steep after this shot.
Once I reached the bottom of the downhill and made my way to Highway 145 I still wasn’t even halfway done with the distance. However the majority of the climbing was complete, and I would be on pavement for the rest of the ride home. I poured my 2 reserve water bottles into my Camelback bladder, and ate my last ShotBlok before heading for Dolores.
Highway 145 is a road Kate and I have biked before, but in the other direction. 4 years ago on Labor day weekend we biked the San Juan Skyway. On day 1 we biked up Highway 145 and today I quickly recalled that there is no shoulder on this road. The majority of drivers gave me plenty of room when passing, and a few slowed down if there was oncoming traffic. So, that was nice.
My butt was beginning to get tired of being on a bike seat about this time. Fortunately I was listening to the audio book Can’t Hurt Me during the start of David’s ultra marathon career. Compared to what he went through in those races my day was looking really nice. It is fascinating how much the mind will get you to quit something because it is hard.
Once in Dolores I stopped at the first gas station to get some calories. At this point I was 6 hours into the ride and had eaten 200 calories in shotbloks, which are just fancy Gummie bears. It was time to consume calories. My preference is for a 32 oz bottle of blue Gatorade, Lays BBQ potato chips, and chocolate bars. This station had Kind bars which make me feel like its kinda health food. I had 2 of those and grabbed a Cliff Bar for security in case I needed more calories before I got home.
Dolores to home is about an hour ride taking it easy. The good news is that at this point easy was the only gear I had left. Since I have biked this section a lot it was much more routine than the prior six hours of riding had been. My butt was definitely over riding bikes for the day but overall I felt good. I stayed well hydrated the whole ride and reserved my energy well.
Next step will be expanding the route to go over Sharkstooth pass and drop down the entire Bear Creek trail. That will add at least 2000 more vertical and at least a dozen or more additional miles. Should be fun.
Since we bought this property I have wanted a bench in this location. It is about 100 feet from where the trailer is parked, and where our house will eventually be. There is a nice grouping of trees that create great all day shade, and there is the view to the east.
One of my goals with my woodworking projects is to use the various scrap wood that we have. This can make it challenging when considering what to build as it limits what I can build. Yesterday I was browsing through some outdoor bench designs and found the Leopold bench.
My first exposure to Aldo Leopold was in high school when I was in the Environmental Ethics class. We read A Sand County Almanac and it was impressed on me how we need to look at nature and our place in it. So when I saw a bench design based on something he had come up with I was drawn to it.
“Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.”
Aldo Leopold
It is also a very simple design and I knew I had the wood pieces to make it happen. While I didn’t have 2×8’s to build with I did have a lot of treated wood that will withstand the elements. So after work yesterday I spent about an hour picking through boards and then cutting and screwing them together.
The final result is definitely odd looking but it is surprisingly stable and comfortable. Kate and I spent about an hour sitting under the stars and moon last night talking about the house design.
I will build a more traditional Leopold bench with proper boards eventually. In the meantime this is the one we have and it gets the job done.
Morning ride
I got 1.5 laps around the land in this morning before a light rain stopped me. Normally I would have been caught out in the rain with miles to ride home, but today I was able to quickly head into shelter.
We had a call with our designer to get things on track and I hope to have a design to share soon!
Colorado is having a hot dry summer and the wildfires are big.
Another fire called the Grizzly Creek fire has closed I-70 though Glenwood Canyon. This is a massive disruption of a very busy interstate. The detour route is 284 miles on mostly 2 lane highway mountainous roads. Oh mylanta!
Workout details
Went for an easy 1.5 hour ride though Mancos and out into the farm roads around town. It has been hot and dry during the day lately so an early morning ride in cooler air was very nice.
