Archive for July, 2009

Jul 28 2009

Repurposing, reducing - making cool stuff

Published by Roseann Hanson under News

We love Nemo tents and equipment - they’re just so functional, as well as beautiful and well-made. Check out their excellent blog, and the news about taking their scraps from sewing tents and making useful items from them. We have two of their tote bags which are great for farmer’s market shopping or toting around Overland Journals . . . and now they will have wallets in 2010.

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Jul 12 2009

A long-overdue expedition bicycle gets some parts

Published by Jonathan Hanson under Field Reports, Jonathan Hanson

Now that my bionic knee is back in good shape, it’s way past time to finish building up the Thorn Nomad expedition bicycle frame my wife bought me too long ago.

I just put together the handlebar assembly I decided on. It’s based on a Jones H-Bar (the Titec licensed aluminum version; I couldn’t afford the $500 titanium counterpart), with Paul Thumbies and Shimano shifters, and Cane Creek brake levers to activate the CC brakes already in hand. Cork wrapping. Decent but inexpensive Alpha stem, because there’s a slight chance its rise and length won’t be ideal.

The Jones H-Bar is odd-looking, but way more comfortable than your average MTB-style handlebar. The wrist angle is much more natural, and several positions are accessible.

Jones Bikes

Next up: tires (probably Schwalbe Marathons for ultimate durability, which is what this build is all about) to go on the 36-hole Mavic XC717 rim/Shimano XT hub/DT Swiss-spoked wheels already built. Then I’ll mount the ultra-strong Thorn front and rear racks my friend Bruce bought me at the same time Roseann bought the frame.

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Jul 12 2009

Identify our new long-term review vehicle?

Published by Jonathan Hanson under Jonathan Hanson

If you recognize this part:

. . . you now know the identity of our brand-new long-term review vehicle, scheduled to be with us for a year. The summer issue will have a full introduction.

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Jul 10 2009

The absent-minded Journal editor

Published by Roseann Hanson under Roseann Hanson

For weeks now I’ve been plagued in my studio / office by the {highly} unpleasant aroma of something decaying . . . I had assumed it was a mouse that snuck in the open door one morning when I was airing it out, or perhaps had gotten in through some unknown hole in the roof (unlikely). We looked high and low, under and over, around and around - and we could not find the source, which seemed to come from higher up, and waft around in a frustratingly fickle manner. For at least five days it was impossible to even work there . . . I was not amused.

This morning I decided to air out the three motorcycle jackets hanging near my workbench - several from the Spring motorcycle jacket review. They seemed musty - and I didn’t like that smell either - so I took them outside, and Jonthan helped. He seemed preoccupied with one of them, the Barbour International. But he’s always preoccupied with jackets.
Just as we were concluding lunch, Jonathan said: “Um, I hope you enjoyed lunch with me today.”
“Of course! But why do you ask?”
“Um . . . it might be our last for a while.”
“?”
“Um . . . about three weeks ago I was riding home on the Royal Enfield and I found a just-roadkilled lizard . . . I thought it was a long-nosed leopard-lizard but wasn’t sure . . . so I, um, sort of put it in the pocket of my Barbour, so I could ID it when I got home . . . and, well, I forgot about it. 
“Until just now.”
Mystery solved. The Barbour jacket was hanging behind 4 other jackets, so the smell was ‘muffled’ by lots of fabric and explaining why we could not locate it. Twenty-five years together, I’m not surprised, and . . . of course, I should have guessed! 
{And yes, it was a long-nosed leopard lizard, quite lovely . . .}

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Jul 01 2009

Butler Bags customer service

Published by Roseann Hanson under Roseann Hanson

When Overland Journal medical columninst Ed Beggy spied a Butler Bag in the Gear 2008 issue, you might say he fell in love right then and there. He ordered one and took it on a trip, and was dismayed to have the blue flannel lining dye turn his skin … smurf blue! Jonathan Curtis of Butler Bags quickly replaced the bag - an example of great customer service. But when the problem persisted, you might have expected a lesser company to back away . . . instead, this week Jonathan Curtis yet again stepped up to the plate, and explained to Ed that they had problems with the original flannel and have spent considerable time this past year sourcing all new flannel from North Carolina, and succeeded in producing 1000 bags with no problems - and again replaced the bag. We thought this was a great example of the type of service and quality Overland Journal looks for in the products we test and review. Butlerbags.com

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