been too long

Yeah it's been a while since I've updated the blog, but for good reason: I was on vacation in Mexico all last week, and I've been trying to catch up from being gone all this week.

The vacation details will probably be a full posting on it's own in the future, but for now let's suffice it to say it was good. Not what I expected for Mexico this time of year, but not bad. The sun never showed it's face and it rained nearly everyday at somepoint, but we saw some cool stuff and did a lot of chillin' out.

I've been having chronic issues with my email for the last 6 months it seems and they've really ramped up the last month. My web hosting provider (netfirms) seems to be the source of all these problems and they also seem to not have the slightest bit of concern about them. Basically it seems that the bulk of people who try to send email to me through a Comcast server can't get messages to me. That's a big problem for someone trying to run a business as Comcast is now the largest internet provider in the US. Netfirms sucks. Period.

Therefore as I type this, my web hosting service is being migrated over to Network Solutions. Hopefully if all goes well it will be a seamless transition from the web-site end of things. All of my user contact info will remain unchanged (web address, email address, etc...) so you shouldn't notice anything. However there will be a short interruption in my email service this weekend. So if you email me this weekend and it bounces, don't be shocked, try it again next week, or give me a call.

I really hope this will be the end of my email issues, I'm getting really tired of dealing with them. I've been purchasing my domain name from Network Solutions from the start, so I figured I'd try their web-hosting package. I've only heard good things about their service, keep your fingers crossed.

Now that I'm back from vacation I'm not wasting anytime. This week I've got the bulk of the next 953 frame done and started on another Headshok suspension fork conversion. Finished up the artwork and ordered the decals for the Route 29'ers, and gotten in most of my steel for the next batch of those frames.

This 953 frame will hopfully be featured in an upcoming issue of Vintage Bicycle Quarterly in their "Builder Speak" section. And as long as my booth comes through for the March 3-4 Minneapolis Bike Expo, it will be on display there along with several Route 29'ers. I'll post pictures of this one soon here too, it's a bit fancier than the last one with more lug carving and a very unique seatstay attachment.

Once I get the first few Route 29 bikes back from powdercoating (Dave I know you'll read this, but don't take it as me trying to rush you!) and the decals (which are pretty sweet!) are on I'll be setting up a web-page dedicated to those. You'll find all the pertinent info on there, sizing, pictures, components, pricing and how to buy them on-line (yes, they'll be available for purchase on-line through The Route).

Well that's about all I have time for now. Got bikes to build and a few forks to make with those new crowns!

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