Facial Time

My issues have been resolved.  I don't mean all my issues, but my life's two most pressing issues.

Due to yesterday's efforts by Sean at Vertigo Cycles, a set of Race Face Next SL cranks with proprietary hollow arm technology and new 'Cinch' interface will be on the way to me today in a manner that should see them in my hands next Wednesday.

It was a multi-step problem to solve.  First there was the issue that we didn't have a 32 tooth chain ring.  Being that it is a proprietary spiderless ring, that was a hurdle that had to be jumped.

I am not exactly sure how he attained it, but I imagine he went door to door asking his neighbors for a cup of sugar.  When they turned to head into the kitchen and retrieve it, he probably interjected with something like, "Oh yeah, could you make sure it's raw cane sugar from Brazil and while you're back there, could you see if you have a proprietary 32 tooth ring for for a Race Face Next SL crank... if it's not too much of a bother."

And one of his neighbors had it in their cupboard next to a box of flax seed and hemp granola... because Portland is like that.

Things were looking good until the next stumbling block broached our collective path.

The crank comes with the spindle pre-installed to the non-driveside crankarm.  Sean was intending to swap out some new cranks that were attached to a fat bike compatible spindle (that was intended for a bike of his own) with the proper spindle to expedite this whole process.  Unfortunately, this stood in the way:

A Race Face Next SL 'Cinch' M18 Crank Bolt Non Puller... which takes a 16mm Allen wrench... which is nigh impossible to find when you need one.  Race Face was nice enough to include the self-pulling hardware for the non-drive side in the box.

It's just up to you to remove the offending M18 bolt to get it in there.

Sean was emailing me trying to describe the whole process.  I was a few beers into an evening of watching the final episode of Sons of Anarchy, so my attention span could not handle the information.  As soon as Teller found his wife dead in the kitchen and I felt a sense of closure, I called Sean.

He was describing the whole thing to me, and then said, "Are you on an iPhone?  Do you have Face Time?"

I answered, "Yes" and "What is that?"

Before I knew it, I was transported to Sean's workshop in Portland.

I can explain the cowboy hat.  He was showing me what he was working on with a nickel next to it for scale, so I put a hat on my head so he would have a size reference as well.

Sean created the world's most expensive 16mm Allen wrench...

on this "thing."

Obviously, I was pleased.  Not so much in amazement with his ingenuity, but that I remembered I could be capturing the experience with a couple button clicks.

There were better moments that I wish I woulda captured, like the look on Sean's face when I put a cowboy hat on so he could see how small my head is.

So, it looks as if I will be racing the 6 Hours of Warrior Creek (duo men 80+ with E Hag) next week aboard the VertDickgo Meatplow V.7.  That makes me happy.

My other life problem that was solved a couple days ago is a topic for another day.  It will eventually provide blog fodder but also impact my ability to access the internet for a period of time, so there's that.

Thanks for going to such lengths to help me make great bike race, Sean.  Your valiant efforts have been duly noted and will be rewarded with a Face Time Hug (as soon as that app is available... and assuming there's enough memory on my iPhone 4 to download it).