Still owe a proper posting about Dubai

I don't know where to begin. Perhaps my thank you email from the hotel gives some perspective. I will try to cover the highlights:

At night, I thought I saw a foggy haze over the city, but the air was much too dry to be fog. Also the air was too clean to be pollution. It turned out to be fine dust--- sand from the desert.

It takes more energy than contained in a gallon of gasoline to desalinate a gallon of water. Dubai is in the desert.

I saw nothing on sale in any stores. Nothing. Everything was full price. No bargain shopping here. Malls are huge-- since the climate can be quite hot. I was lucky.

There is no place to walk in the city. I was told it was because normally it is too hot to walk anywhere.

Dubai is not a democracy. It is run by a prince or something like that, and all the government officials are appointed. The upside to this is that there are few politics to sort through--- which is why the entire city sprung up practically overnight.

As an Islamic state, there are all sorts of religious "laws." Alcohol is only found at hotels. I encountered a restaurant that was briefly *wink*wink* closed for evening prayers. I was, however, served.

It is strange doing business with unshaven Ivy League educated men who are wearing sandals, a white robe, and a white "head dress" wrapped with a black cord. It is even stranger seeing women in burkhas in a business setting. The women were segregated from men during lunch--- and not one singe Muslim woman spoke to me all week. The only women I spoke to were the Chinese working the hotel.

It is common to smoke tobacco from a hookah in the outdoor seating areas at restaurants.

All the food served is halal.

Racism is alive and well in the U.A.E. While there are all sorts of expats in the area, there is a real hierarchy. It was embarrassing how much respect I received being a white westerner. I met up with a coworker from our office in India--- and someone started bossing him around, thinking he was a laborer working at the hotel. It was absurd.

At the airport, I had to go through security to enter the airport. Next came ticketing, then I had to go through passport to leave the country. Next was another security (second set of metal detectors). Then I was free to go to the gates.

The city has the best quality roads I have ever seen anywhere---- but virtually no public transportation, except buses. How can a city so new lack public transportation infrastructure?

Most vehicles are white.

The city has no soul or character--- it is much too young. It lacks any local culture, and in many ways, it is depressing--- akin to placing a Disneyland in the Vatican.

From a business perspective, it was a very good trip. I am sure I will return.

Not my hotel

Dubai Photos

World's tallest building.

Entire city under construction.

Outside the indoor ski hill.

Inside--- at Mall of Emirates.

All this way to find Norwegian water in my room.

Dubai

Where do I begin? Maybe with, I have been working non-stop since I have arrived and haven't seen the outside of the hotel in a few days? Such is glamorous work travel.

Greatest Cat in the World

When Elijah was a kitten 17 years ago, I never considered the day he would be no longer with us. He has been the best cat imaginable--- with a personality more in line with a puppy. He hasn't been doing too well lately--- and today was the day for his one-way trip to the vet. I will miss you, dear friend.

Emil

There is something about this show that fascinates me. Perhaps it is because it is far more honest than any American show of its kind. It is set in Sweden when the economy was terrible and people were emigrating to the US. The adults get drunk at parties, and Emil's father is borderline abusive when he loses his temper at Emil.

How NOT to make a burger

We ate out at a restaurant last night-- the four of us, along with my wife's family. I almost never order a burger when I eat out, but I had heard good things about the burgers where we were eating, and I wasn't feeling particularly creative. It was alleged to be American-style. When it arrived, my wife and I were both convinced they screwed up and served us lamb burgers--- there was an overpowering minty rosemary flavor to the meat, and the texture was unlike any burger I have ever consumed. Lise asked the server about it-- he claimed the meat was seasoned, but I am still convinced we ate the wrong species of mammal.

Regardless, it brings up an interesting point that was recently discussed over lunch at work--- how to make a perfect burger. I as asked as an American who should know how to grill. I offered by expert advice: use ground beef that is not too lean, pack into patties, salt, and grill. My coworkers were dumbfounded. It seemed each had some crazy "recipe" of adding all sorts of herbs, spices, and filler-- mixing in food processors, and so on. It could explain why I have never eaten a decent burger anywhere in Europe.

Passports, Etc.

Having two kids is four times the work. I have been quite busy the past two weeks. I am preparing for a trip to Dubai toward the end of the month, and I really don't have the open-ended time available in the evening to work--- at least no time I can depend on.

This week we took care of all the paperwork for US passports for the kids. Here is the deal: it is much easier to obtain Norwegian passports. However, for tax purposes I need social security numbers for the kids to claim them as dependents. The only way to obtain these numbers while abroad is to use a passport as an ID. The only way to obtain a passport while abroad is to appear in person before an officer of a consulate-- usually at the embassy-- and the only embassy is in Oslo. This means we would all normally need to travel to the capital to appear in person so our signatures could be accepted. But this week, there was a consular visit to the international school here in Stavanger. This would save us the huge inconvenience of an Oslo trip. To apply for a passport, we needed the births to be registered by the US--- Norwegian birth certificates could not be directly used. We also needed passport photos.

The afternoon before the consular visit, we headed downtown to a photography store for the kids photos. It is quite a challenge getting the eyes open/mouth shut pose for a month old infant, but we managed. We met another American family going through the same thing-- updating the passports for their teen kids. We walked out of the store about $100 lighter. Getting social security numbers is expensive business.

The next morning we showed up at the international school a little before 9 am when they were scheduled to open the visits with the consular officer. The atrium as crowded. We were there none too early. Julian somehow managed to wait the two and a half hours without too much trouble, although undoubtedly he was bored out of his mind. Of course, a few hours in nothing compared to an Oslo trip-- and we would still need to queue up at the embassy as well. Now we just need to pay hundreds of dollars in fees--- in cash--- in US currency, and we will be all set.

I really hate US tax law-- that subjects ALL citizens to income tax-- regardless where you live in the world. Imagine if state income tax did the same thing.

Flirting with Ohm's Law

I had a very nice halogen floor lamp that we moved here from the US. I had a vague plan to covert it for European voltage. After three years, I finally managed to do something about it. It has a dimmer switch on the floor, and I considered the possibility of just rewiring the cord going into the dimmer. It seems most light bulbs are half the watts as in the US--- and twice the voltage, of course. But I chickened out. It seems to me something is squared in Ohm's law. I didn't want to risk running twice the voltage through the dimmer, and rather purchased a new dimmer, and just reused the internal wiring. We now have the perfect lamp for the dark corner we created when we rearranged the furniture.

The same madness I biked home in

17.02.2009
Originally uploaded by filtersweep

It took nearly an hour to bike each way--- but hey, I was moving. Traffic was completely stopped along the main roads. Some people spent two hours driving to work. It was the roughest ride ever, so I left my laptop at work. No sense destroying it in a crash.

Sledding home from day care

17.02.2009
Originally uploaded by filtersweep

Snowing like crazy

It has been snowing all night. I anticipate an interesting ride to work today.

Coding iPhone Apps?

OK, not really, but enough seem to be written by two year-olds that why not?

Adjusting?

Sledding with Julian

08.02.2009, originally uploaded by filtersweep.

Sometimes he has his own ideas

08.02.2009, originally uploaded by filtersweep.

Home

IMG_5894, originally uploaded by filtersweep.

New Addition

Aurora was born yesterday morning at 7:50. She was 3.6 kg and 52cm-- a good sized baby girl. We used the birthing loft again, and had nothing less than an excellent experience-- again. It is facing budget cuts, and it would be criminal to let anything happen to this wonder addition to the hospital.

Wednesday, Lise went out to Kvitsøy with Julian to visit her parents. She returned around 8 in the evening. At 2am she woke me to say we needed to head to the hospital. About 3am we moved our plan into action, and started preparing to leave for the hospital. We called a friend who spent the night to look after Julian. We arrived at the hospital around 4:30 in the morning. Intense labor started about an hour later, and by 8am, our daughter was in our arms--- with no complications or issues--- a perfect little girl and a perfect birth. We could not be happier. We left the hospital around 1 pm today.

Studded tires were of little help

04.02.2009, originally uploaded by filtersweep.

Serious snow ride home

04022009220, originally uploaded by filtersweep.

Back to my normal commute

My week of riding in low gear meant taking the hilliest route possible to work--- meaning I was either crawling uphill, or coasting down. The flat pavement was quite unsatisfying. Today was pure bliss, despite the sub-zero temperature. My bike now shifts better than when it was new. I am not convinced the bike shop knows how to tune a drive train. I chalked it up to mid-level components. I readjusted everything last night and it is crisp, quick, and quiet. Now I can only hope more parts implode so they can be upgraded.

And still no baby yet.

A thing of beauty

My new derailleur arrived yesterday-- duty free as it should. It is a thing of beauty compared to the old one--- and it arrived with a cable (something I overlooked). It was a simple installation. Best of all, I could salvage a fastener from the old unit for the brake fluid reservoir. Somehow one of the tiny screws had worked its way out. Now I won't be stuck in low gear.

With every silver lining, there is a dark cloud

Am I lucky or unlucky that I still have my wisdom teeth? One is starting to seriously act up. I did a bit of research online, and the US-based Mayo site states that I should seek immediate attention from my dentist. Interesting how different medical advice and treatment is in a litigious society-- versus here in Norway, where common maladies are considered normal. I will be calling my dentist quite soon, although this may collide with the impending birth. I don't expect much sympathy right now from Lise. On a related note, I recently discovered that my dentist is the dentist of choice among American ex-pats. He did a fine job of upgrading my fillings.

Limping to work

Since my shifter I broken, I can only ride in the lowest gear in the rear. I have been taking the hilliest route possible to work this week, since I either am riding up steep hills, or coasting down. It is less frustrating than taking a flatter route. Coincidentally, this is the same route where my shifter exploded. I have been obsessed with finding it. Fortunately we have ever-growing daylight. My efforts were rewarded yesterday when I found it on my way home. I don't know what I will do with it-- maybe patch the shifter up until the one I ordered arrives.

I am frustrated with the bozos at Chain Reaction cycle. I emailed them along with my order reminding them specifically not to include shipping in the customs declaration-- otherwise I will pay a massive duty due to bizarre laws in Norway. Shipping places the order above 200 kr. I received a reply stating they cannot lie on a customs form. I am not asking them to lie. I am reminding them on the regulations--- something that is occasionally missed by ham-fisted web retailers. I will not be happy if I end up paying the post office on this one. And that is the trouble. Kiwi-- our version of the "Kwik-E-Mart" serves as our local post office. Throughout Christmas they struggled to find our packages. These folks are not people to negotiate with about improperly marked customs forms.

Dressing

This animation pretty much captures the manic effort involved with Julian's new found affinity for dressing himself.

Exploded shifter

This morning I opted to ride to work entirely off-road. It is a rather byzantine route, through a forest, around the NATO base, up a hill, across a farmer's field, down a service road, across more fields, and through the woods. As I was tearing down the service road in the predawn hour, I was vaguely aware that I really couldn't see where I was riding. At that moment, my entire rear shifter fell apart. I skidded to a stop and begin a frustrating search for the shift lever. Eventually I found it in the dirt and gravel. I resumed my commute in my lowest gear-- the default. It was a long ride in.

This evening I went down to reassemble the watch-like parts yet again. When I started lining up the lever, I noticed I had nothing to line it up with. Both levers had fallen off. I only searched for one. There would be no rebuild. It is below freezing-- I need this bike with the studded tires tomorrow. Looks like I will be limping in again.

I consulted my online options. I had no hope that a local bike shop would sell a lone rear shifter, and it was a good time to upgrade anyway. This shifter never really worked as advertised-- or perhaps I am spoiled by my crisp Dura Ace performance. I consulted a duty-free Swedish online shop. It would cost a small fortune-- like 700kr for a set. I checked my UK connection--- 191 kr--- beneath the 200kr threshold. Duty free for me. Paying the COD and import duty would nearly double the price. Let's hope they don't include shipping in the customs declaration.

It will be a rough week or so riding in on a "3-speed" mountain bike--- but I figure I could be dispatched to the hospital any day now. Julian should have a sister any day now.

Random Kvitsøy Photos

It was a clear day today-- windy, a bit cold, but sunshine.

Inauguration Party

We attended a local inauguration party. The place was crawling with media. I saw a camera crew from NRK, radio from NRK, and both local papers. Julian charmed one of the newspaper photographers, and ended up in one of the local papers.

DIY Auto Repair

Yesterday Lise was downtown and called me to say the car would not start. We encountered the same issue a few weeks ago in Kvitsøy, but it appeared to be an isolated incident. Now I knew it needed a new battery. She asked if she should call for a tow. I said I would be there ASAP with a new battery. I couldn't bear the thought of paying a thousand dollars for a dealer to fix it. I have no idea what it would actually cost, but I imagine a tow in Norway and a battery would cost close to that amount.

A coworker was kind enough to drive me. We stopped by a parts store and picked up a battery for 1500 kr--- more than $200. I thought that was a bit steep for a battery, but remembered how much I was saving. We found the car downtown, and I set about removing the old battery. It was in the car, accessed through the rear hatch above the wheel well. I have never seen a battery so well attached. My crecent wrench was no match, so I had to make another errand to pick up a socket set. By the time I returned, Lise had convinced a building contractor to crawl back there and remove the battery clamp. And I mean crawl. With the battery disconnected, the hatch would no longer open. Crazy BMW.

I finally managed to swap out the battery, and the new one was a perfect fit--- I mean it was the identical size. This often is not the case with replacement batteries-- so I was feeling like it maybe was worth the price. As I replaced it, I noticed a small tube passing through the fender well. I assumed it was some sort of vent. When I returned home I did a bit of research, and realized I needed to connect the tube to the battery itself--- as it vents off the explosive hydrogen gas that is a byproduct of the recharging process. I can see the advantage that it is easy to change, and it stays clean, but I have no idea what was ever wrong with keeping it under the hood.

There goes the neighborhood

There is talk of building Norway's tallest buildings down the hill from where we live. I will believe it when I see it. I am all for it. There is nothing historical about the area--- it all was underwater at one time. Many years ago they drained it. People stood on the shores with baskets, waiting to pick up all the fish. They didn't realize it would take days if not weeks to empty.

Maintenance Weekend

We are in the dead of winter-- rain, rain, and more rain. Late last week I noticed my rear tire wasn't holding air, my bike wasn't shifting so well, and the front brake was a bit weak. I expected I would need to replace the pads (for a disc setup), but it turned out the fluid reservoir was missing a screw, and I was leaking fluid. Topping it off fixed the problem, but I will need to find a new screw somehow. The rear tire turned out to have a leak from an old patch, so I patched the patch. We will see how well that works out. I disassembled the shift mechanism and gave it a quick fix. I really should replace the entire shifter, but at least I can use it now. It has a bad spring. Commuting is hell for bikes.

Of course this morning it was quite warm. Very windy, but warm. I rode the regular wheel set, rather than the studs. What a difference that made. I just need to make sure I replace the winter wheels before it is too late and I crash on some ice again.

Julian ran a fever over the weekend, and wasn't quite himself. So far this is the worst thing about being a parent--- dealing with him when he is sick. It is not that he is so difficult to handle, but rather that there is so little that we can do to make him comfortable. We managed, and he was better by Sunday and went to daycare today. I picked him up, and found him and a bunch of other two year olds all sitting around a table with Play-Doh. He wasn't too motivated to leave.

Other than that, I am starting to feel like we are just waiting for the baby to come. We are almost at the point were it could be anytime. This week we have our meeting at the hospital-- but it seems like we just had Julian's meeting, and I doubt there is anything new. This time we have the added dimension of having someone take care of Julian during the birth. Overall, we are quite ready.

-10 C Commute

Back to work, back to biking. My morning routine turned into a harsh reality as it was ten below this morning. It looked like it had snowed, the frost was so thick. But -10C really is not that cold. If I were back in Minneapolis, it could just was well be -10 F. Tomorrow it should be a balmy +3.

Furniture

Do any stores these days actually sell furniture? Or has IKEA made it acceptable to build everything yourself?

We are getting ready for the new addition of the family, and are working on getting more organized. Rather than opting for IKEA right out of the gates, we went to Skeidar to shop for a dresser to use in the entry way to keep hats, gloves, keys, etc. orderly. We found the perfect item, and picked it up at the loading dock--- in two flat boxes. It was quite a drawn out process to assemble a dresser. Each drawer needed to be put together, as did the dresser itself. Unlike an IKEA item, this actually came with its own glue. At any rate, it is solid and assembled.

We next needed a closet for Julian's room. I tore out the old closet when I put in the new floor. We checked a holiday sale at Living, but the small "wardrobes" were very poorly constructed. IKEA had them beat in terms of quality, so we spec'ed out what we needed at the "showroom" and headed to warehouse to pick up the boxes. IKEAs own product list was badly mismarked. It took us a bit of discussion to figure out that the list we were given was meaningless. Nonetheless, we found what we needed. We also picked up a storage chest for Julian's toys. Somehow we managed to load everything into our station wagon and drive home--- with the hatch closed. Sure the steering wheel was touching my chest, and I almost needed to phone the fire department to be extracted from the vehicle. But we made it. Our neighbor helped me unload the closet frame-- the box literally weighed 100 pounds.

Assembling the closet went more quickly than assembling the dresser. Of course Julian only wanted to play IN the closet while I was putting it together. Now his room in complete. Well, almost complete. We conveniently omitted installing the handles to the closet door, so as of now, it is childproof.

World's Best Pizza Recipe Revisited

A little more than a year ago I posted a pizza recipe that has since been modified, and in many ways simplified. For an executive summary of the changes, it no longer involves refrigerating the crust, and the sauce no longer uses tapenade.

Ingredients:

Crust
2 cups of flour (heaping, this isn't rocket science)
7 oz cold water
25 g active yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Olive oil

I use 25g of fresh yeast. Around here, it comes in a cube. I drop it in about 7 ounces of water. Mash up the yeast so it is mixed into the water. Add a tsp of salt and sugar. In a grand mixer with a dough hook, add a bit more than 2 cups of flour. Coat the hook in olive oil. Add a tsp of olive oil to the water mixture. Turn the mixer to its slow speed.

Mix until the dough clears the sides of the mixing bowl. It will most likely end up as a big lump of dough. If too much of the dough is sticking to the bowl, you probably need to add a bit more flour. The key is to keep it in one, cohesive, elastic mass.

Once you are satisfied that it is elastic, but not too wet or dry---sprinkle a bit of flour into the bottom of a bowl, place the ball of dough into the bowl, pour a spoon of olive oil on top of the dough, cover with a clean dish towel, and let rise.

Sauce
3 or 4 fresh vine-on tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2 tsp plain pesto
salt
pepper

Dice two tomatoes-- and choose tomatoes with flavor-- not the watery cheap ones. Press the clove of garlic. Place into a bowl. Add the pesto and a bit of salt and pepper. Mix well with a spoon. Place in refrigerator until needed.

Topping
Prosciutto (sliced-- enough to cover pizza)
Ruccula (cut up)
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

The toppings are not an exact science, but this is my favorite. Preheat the oven for almost as hot as possible. A hot oven will yield a better crust. Use a light coating of olive oil on your pizza pan, and sprinkle lightly with flour to avoid sticking. Stretch the dough in pan. Spread sauce on the dough and grate a little Parmesan cheese. Evenly spread prosciutto. Apply ruccula. Top with mozzarella, taking care not to drown the pizza cheese. Place pizza in oven, on one of the lower racks. Bake for 7 minutes. After seven minutes, check the pizza. Take care not to overcook the crust. When it is finished, remove from the oven and let it set up for two minutes before cutting. Eat.

Notes:
All sorts of oven temperatures can yield good results. For a chewier crust, cook at a lower temperature and on a rack toward the middle of the oven. Also, the amount of topping will affect cooking times, as will the thickness of the crust. The hot oven technique is not recommended for thick pizzas.

In the Night Garden

There are several episodes available on youtube-- of Julian's favorite TV show. A fantastic review is available at Strange Harvest. While it is produced by the same crew that made Telletubbies, it is heaps better. Not that I advocate that two year olds watch too much TV--- but this is something quite unique.

Pedal Tractor

IMG_5208, originally uploaded by filtersweep.

What could be cooler than a pedal tractor? Every time we walk by one parked in our neighbors' yards, Julian want to play on it. Now, thanks to his uncle and grandparents, he has one of his own. Best of all, it isn't a John Deere (not that there is anything wrong with them--- it is just that everyone in our neighborhood rides them).

Winter Solstice

We are down to 6 hours and 11 minutes of daylight tomorrow, then the days grow longer. Consequently, all the photos I take these days appear they are taken at night.

Julian's Birthday Party

Nothing gets a party hopping like a two year old.

Hitting the big oh-two

Julian turned two today. I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by. He had a fun family party today--- after being king of his daycare.

Julian Nissen

All the kids had to wear these Santa hats at daycare. Julian wore his all day long.

Crazy Kid Story

The other day, Lise complained about a spoon that was very poorly washed. She showed it to me. It had all sorts of food crusted on it. I took it a bit personally, since I generally handle the kitchen cleanup. Our dishwasher is exceptionally thorough (and slow), and very seldom does anything emerge dirty. This was a mystery to me.

I didn't really give it another thought, until tonight. After dinner, Julian was running around the kitchen with his spoon. He opened the silverware drawer and tossed it in. Everything suddenly made perfect sense.

Still Sick

I don't seem to be getting any better. I took the day off and headed to the doctor today. I have had a cough for at least a month. Today I had a massive headache, and felt generally miserable. I called my doctor and landed a 1pm appointment. As I was parking the car, I noticed a woman had backed over an embankment, and her car was stuck--- none of her wheels were touching the ground. She sheepishly smiled at me as I walked by. At least she had a sense of humor.

There were quite a few people in the waiting room when I arrived. I never quite know what to expect with the Norwegian medical system. Last time I went to the doctor, a few years ago, I saw a different doctor--- who looked like she was seventeen. Eventually I was called back and given a blood test. After a brief wait the doctor saw me. He informed me that my white count was elevated, so I was definitely sick (in case I did not know). I wanted an antibiotic, but he said that it was likely viral. He could well be right, but this cold has lasted far too long. Normally a cold lasts a week at the most. I asked him about this, and he said that if I wasn't better next week I could come back. This seemed to ignore the fact that I have struggled with this for quite some time already. I wouldn't normally see the doctor for a cold. I didn't see the point of waiting a few more days. This is not a good time to be sick, with a very pregnant wife and a two year old at home.

So here is where it gets strange. He wrote out a prescription for Cosylan, a cough syrup with ethylmorphine, and he pretty much acted like I hit the jackpot to receive it. Apparently it is illegal to drive when taking it. I would have much preferred an antibiotic. I had the prescription filled-- it is a massive bottle-- 350 ml. I'll try anything at this point. Still, I don't see how this is better than possibly "abusing" an antibiotic.

The Snow is Gone

The other night, Julian was insistent that I take him out sledding. Unfortunately there was no more snow. No snow means I am back to ice and ice biking to work. It is definitely faster biking on ice than snow, but there is a real mental block to riding across ice. It just doesn't seem right to bike across glare ice.

The Video

Snow

I don't know if this is good or bad parenting, but we had a nice snowfall on Thursday evening--- so Christmas came early for Julian. The snow began hours after we purchased new winter tires (we can thank Lise for that idea). We had even more snow on Friday-- and it stayed cold enough that it was still here Saturday. The new sled we had purchased came down from the loft and was promptly assembled Saturday morning. Minutes later we were outside. I pulled him around the neighborhood-- there was snow and ice everywhere-- nothing had been plowed or shoveled (it just doesn't happen around here). We then visited the neighborhood sledding hill. I must have dragged him up that hill a hundred times. He has no shortage of attention when he is having fun.

I probably had as much fun as Julian. In many ways, life here is very different than where and when I grew up-- but sledding is a direct point of reference back to my own childhood. I still have very cool memories of my father taking me sledding. We used my the sled my father had as a child-- and despite how its weathered patina, we much preferred it to anything more modern. It was simply faster and could be steered better. Julian doesn't share the family sled, but sledding conditions are a bit different here-- so he has what is essentially the standard Norwegian sled (even though it is a Swedish brand). It is more than capable of handling the both of us. As he is not yet two, he can only copilot. Besides, he hasn't quite grasped the concept of steering and braking yet.

When Cats Watch TV

Our cat generally doesn't watch much TV, however some shows seem to grab his attention.

Happy Guy Fawkes Day

We attended a Guy Fawkes celebration over the weekend. It was full of English expats. I had no idea how many lived around here. I also had no idea of who Guy Fawkes really was. Generally it is a good thing to have a holiday named after you--- unless you were Guy Fawkes. We had sparklers, snacks, and a bonfire with effigies of Guy and the pope--- capped off with fireworks. A splendid time was had by all.

Filtersweep Eats Pavement

(again) I woke up this morning a checked the temperature--- 2C. Above freezing. No need for studded tires. I slowly took off, tested the brakes, and was fine on slightly wet pavement. It was a beautiful sunny day. We live at the top of a substantial hill, and I let go of the brake levers--- happy to be riding my mountain bike (where I can coast). I was moving at a good clip, maybe around 40kph at the bottom of the hill when I suddenly went down on glare ice. My first thought was my laptop--- it didn't seem to strike pavement (although the rest of me certainly did).

I weighed my options: I could proceed to work--- paranoid about icing out at any moment, or head home and swap out my wheels. By the time I made it home, I opted to drive. Nothing appears to be broken, although my knee, hip, and shoulder hurt. No doctor's visit for me this time. I was lucky I crashed on ice--- it generally reduces road rash.

I commuted all winter last year, and thought I had a good handle on the weather and ice conditions. I didn't ride with studs until January. It isn't even November. I guess I won't make this mistake again.

I eat bicycles

We have had a bit of flurries the past few days, so I dug our the mountain bike yesterday to commute to work. While heading down the hill, I thought the derailleur cable snapped, as it wouldn't shift at all. I was stuck in the lowest rear cog. I have exposed cables on the top tube, so I just grabbed it and held it to shift to a steeper gear--- otherwise it would have taken all day to bike to work. I must have been quite a sight.

Last night I picked up a new cable, and I started working on the bike. I needed to know which cable end to snip, which required me to see the old cable first. What was odd was the the cable was still stuck in the shifter. Having some sense about me--- which is rare when I am impatiently trying to fix this bike, I disassembled the shift mechanism. It was pretty much exploded on the inside. I could see that everything was loose--- that the nut holding it all together had come off. After an hour of messing around with tiny parts that rivaled the innards of a mechanical watch, I had everything back in working order. I am amazed how many parts have blown up on this bike. It really reinforces that fixed gear is the way to go--- when possible.

This morning it was below freezing. I was patting myself on the back for having the foresight to fix the mountain bike. The fixed commuter would have been no match for the heavy frost on the streets. My self-congratulatory tone was quickly shattered as I was sliding uncontrollably down our street. The frost was too thick for the knobby mountain bike tires. Usually there are no problems with frost when the temperature hovers around freezing. I opted for the bike path and a slow decent down our street. I watched as a woman crashed on the road-- riding a commuter bike in street clothes. On the path an old Norwegian woman told me I should be using studded tires. I would never hear a comment like that back in the US. I hobbled in to work, riding off-road as much as possible. It was a bit slick-- and the studded tires will be on next time. It is too early in the season for this!

Salty House

I hesitate to term it as "extreme" weather, since this it is normal this time of year, but it has been a bit stormy as of late. We are talking about rather light rain with high winds. This is much akin to having our house blasted by a power sprayer, and we discovered yet another leak-- this time in our bedroom. What is most interesting, is how the past two mornings, our windows have been covered in dried salt. We live a few kilometers from the ocean. This means that it has been so windy that sea water gets picked up by the wind and blasted all over everything. I think we will keep our car in the garage.

Weekend Recap

I have had a cold most of the week. Julian was the transmission vector into the family. Lise was struck next, followed by me. The issue is that when he cannot sleep, none of us sleep. I believe we are all better now---- he certainly is, at least.

The days are much shorter now--- and I need lights to bike in the morning. Today it was right around zero when I woke up. Still, I rode my winter fixed gear--- with road slicks. During lunch I was discussing this with a coworker who commutes by bike. She is afraid to ride during these temperature, but I reassured her it needs to be a few degrees colder before the ground freezes. It will be a few months before I grab the studded tires on the mountain bike. The trouble with this time of year is we have two options--- cold/dry or wet/"warm." Today was dry and cloudless--- and cold.

In other news, I am not traveling to the US in November. I calculated my frequent flier miles, and I would have had 49,993 in total for the year---- just missing the next level of benefits. But it doesn't matter-- I am not going. I have two coworkers in the US who are more than capable. I will be quite content if I stay away from airports for the next several months--- like until the baby is born.

Mini Monster Truck

IMG_4070, originally uploaded by filtersweep.

New Fillings

This is an odd thing to be excited about, but I had three amalgam fillings replaced with composites today. It was money well-spent. I can now chew from both sides of my mouth. Hot and cold beverages don't affect me. I really had worked around the problems caused by my old fillings. Best of all, it was painless--- even the bill. I have no dental insurance.

The Long Commute

I biked out to the ferry from work yesterday. I was a bit unsure of the best route from work. To ensure timely arrival, I tossed a wheel with a 15t cog on my rain bike--- as it was raining when I left for work. I couldn't imagine taking the 17t all the way to the ferry landing.

I planned on giving myself an hour--- this would account for traffic and maybe getting a bit lost--- since it is illegal to bike through the tunnel or on the freeway (the normal route). This meant I would have to catch my usual route somewhere along the way--- the usual bike route. The bike route involves several roads that are for bus and bikes only--- so I am out of practice how to access them, and they are poorly marked. In other words, I need to take the back roads.

I ended up cutting it closer than I thought--- taking 53 minutes. Had I missed this ferry, the next one left about three hours later. I was a sweating, stinking mess when I arrived in Kvitsøy.

Given that we are having a very nasty storm, I will likely toss the bike in the back of the car and catch a ride home.

Knitting

Lise started a knitting project for our impending arrival. Lest you opine that it is too early to start, I quickly calculated that 17 rolls of yarn at 195m each is over three kilometers long. That is about two miles of yarn in this outfit--- for a newborn. OK- there might be a blanket involved with this project, but still--- that is a lot of merino wool yarn. If you then calculate how many stitches are knitted (or whatever the unit of knitting is called), I am guestimating an easy half million-- minimum. I don't even want to think about the time involved.

Freezing this morning

The nice thing about biking to work is it places me in touch with nature. Today our thermometer on our door indicated 4C. The frost on the ground told me otherwise. It was a strange weather system this morning--- clear skies, with ground fog--- cold ground fog.

During the day, the weather turned rainy--- and I had not brought my shoe covers. I don't believe I will take that risk again until May 2009.

Tomorrow I have to bike to the ferry landing on Merkjavik. Lise and Julian will already be out on Kvitsøy. I can never have a relaxing ride to catch the ferry--- no matter what I am in a terrible hurry. Last time I flatted on the way, and almost missed the boat.