Day 4--Freaking out just a little!

Today was another day hard at it in the studio. We started out with setting up our forks and our drop outs to braze. We learned how to use a milling machine to cut slots in our rear drop outs but first we had to do some paper work to figure out more angles and how exactly our bottom bracket would connect and if we had oval or round blades on the drop outs. If all this confuses you I can explain it when and IF my bike gets done.

Yeah, I got a little stressed out today, not really from the work itself but the fact that there was so much instruction and not enough work time. Those of you who know me know that I work hard but that I take a long time to do things because I want them done well. Curse of an artists personality I guess--or maybe a blessing because you know my jewelry and anything I create has very good craftsmanship. I felt frustrated by the fact that there is no after school time and the instructors don't want us working at lunch. Honestly the pace is pretty lax here compared to what I am used to at home and my working and learning style is to work for a longer period of time and really get engrossed in the work. I feel much more productive and am able to put more effort into my work. So, anyway, we'll see how it goes tomorrow.

The dilemma from yesterday was solved this morning. I decided to go with the fancy, ornate, pretty lugs and just not stress about it. I love the lugs and I will make them work! They are made by Pacenti and many frame builders have used them for doing beautiful things with bikes. Even though mine overlap because of the head tube being short all I will have to do is file them a new shape to fit. I think I can make it work. Here is how they look:

Aren't they pretty??!!

I just found this photo on the Jonny Cycles website. This guy is an amazing frame builder from Madison and I hope to hook up with him and talk frame building when I get back. I am sure there is a lot to learn from other people who build bikes and so cool he lives in my home town! This pic of his headtube is similar to the configuration of my lugs on my short head tube. See how they kind of meld into one in the center instead of 2 distinct lugs? But his is amazing because it is stainless and he has been at it awhile. We haven't learned how to work with stainless yet so unfortunately my lugs will be painted and not sweet like this. :)

In the afternoon we learned how to braze our fork crown and steer tube on which, when finished make a complete fork! Of course that was just the demo and I haven't even started my fork yet. I did pick out the blades and dropouts which are cool but simple. I am planning on making a single speed cross bike which will definitely be interesting since I haven't ridden a single speed since I was a kid on my $5 garage sale bike that had coaster brakes! :)

After class this guy David from Seattle and I drove to a town about 25 minutes away called White City. On thursday nights they have a bike race that is on a drag strip. I was nervous because I thought it might be oily from the cars but it was actually fun. We had to rush because the race was at 6pm and we got out of class at 5pm. As I was leaving my hostel I hit my front bike wheel on the railing outside and flatted my tire! :( So.....I had to fix it in the car while David was driving and when we got to the race everyone was on the starting line but I had to pump up my tire. Well, they were holding the race for us and my tire would not hold air. Turns out the new tube was also punctured! David had a spare tube which he gave me and we were off to the start line. The course was a loop which started on a bike path type thing (only wide for 3 bikes at once) and ended with a straight, wide finish about 200 meters long down the drag strip into the wind. We rode the "B" race and there was only one other girl and about 25 guys or so. The first few laps were super slow and pretty boring but good thing because we didn't get any warm up in before. A couple guys tried to go off the front but nothing too exciting. Finally about 1/2 way through one guy attacked and no one went with him. He looked pretty strong so I chased him and one guy came with me. We stayed off the front a couple hundred meters or so and I got popped. The pack caught me and eventually we caught the other two guys. After a couple more laps they called a prime lap and some guys started to accelerate so I followed but rounding the corner into the parking lot I heard a psssssssssssssssssss. Shit! I had my third flat of the night and was out of the race. :( It was fun while it lasted. David hung in and finished strong.

Here are my three flat tubes! That makes 5 flats in 2 days--granted 2 of them were from me being stupid but still! Apparently there are these thorny things called "goatheads" on the road here and many people actually flatted at the race track tonight. All in all I got a nice 30 minutes of intensity in but it was a bummer I didn't get to finish. Next week we are going to do a time trial at the same place.

Tomorrow is friday and hardly any of my bike is finished! I still can't believe that by next friday I will have a bike frame in hand ready to take home! :)