Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Manhattan Beach - Near the Pier -- August 2, 2020 (Sunday) - morning

 Left the house at about 6:30 AM hoping the bike path will be pretty much empty.
It wasn't.  There were quite a few people out but not too bad.
The sun was breaking through the clouds at home but within about 1/2 mile, rode into dense fog.
Glasses got completely soaked so had to take them off.
The bike and I were also soaked.

When I got back home, had to wash down the bike with a hose to get all the moisture (somewhat salty) and sand off of it.

Back at home, it was sunny...(fog was just within the first 3 to 4 miles from the ocean only).

Rode up to Starbucks from the pier for the first time in many months.  Starbucks is on a corner two short but very steep blocks up from the pier.  I'm guessing about 70 feet elevation and usually the view from here encompasses the pier and the ocean.  Not today...
This is looking down towards the pier (can't see much...). 


They built a very nice outdoor dining area in front of Simmzy's, in the space of about four street parking spaces (can see the meters in the picture).



This is the view about a block up from the pier.  Can't see much of the pier...

Passing through the parking lot where I cross over from the beach bike path to the road in the parking area, saw some old air cooled VWs starting to gather for a "show"?
Behind the cars is the beach bike path...

Haven't been to a car related even since March...

Bike Seat Adjustment

The seat was pushed back on the seat post to make clearance for the Topeak saddle bag.  It uses a plastic mounting system with a quick release to allow the bag to be removed easily.
Unfortunately, the bag mounting hardware does not allow the seat to be moved forward on the seat post.

For a better fit for me on this bike, the seat needs to move forward.

Close-up of the seat on the seat post and the seat bag mounting bracket.


I removed the seat bag mounting bracket and moved the seat forward pretty much as far as it can go on the seat post.  It's about 15 mm.

At the same time, I adjusted the seat angle so that the nose is slightly down, versus how it was before.
This should put a little less pressure on some sensitive parts.


I swapped the seat bag with a more traditional design with straps, instead of the quick-release plastic bracket.


It's smaller than the Topeak bag, but just big enough to hold the essentials (basic tools, spare inner tube, CO2-inflator, patch kit, rubber gloves, band-aids/antibacterial cream & a paper towel).

Long Beach Car Swap Meet -- Sunday, March 8, 2020 -- VW special tool - "PULL X" 8-finger puller -- Before Cleaning