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In about two weeks, I’ll be headed to my second tour in Iraq….
One year of no Wife, no Bike, and no Fun…..Ah well, at least it pays the bills…. 😏
So I’m counting on the jokers here to keep me informed and entertained with what I’m missing…..
See you hosers in a year…. 😼
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Damn, that was quick!
Hey, got time for another ride? I probably should at least meet you before you go!
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Yeah, I gots the time… all the way up until this coming Sunday…..
I’m thinking Friday or Saturday would be good, weather depending…..
😃
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You are aware of the irony of your signature…?
Good luck out there and come back safe so you can ride again here in the States!Thanx for your service.
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I’m thinking of helping out with trailwork on Saturday at Palmer Park. It is scheduled for 9:00, which means if I get there around 8:00 or so I can get in an hour of riding before swinging a pulaski. Do you feel like a ride Saturday morning?
And hey, everybody is invited! 😆
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Where at in Palmer?
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This summer the trail work crew has been parking at the picnic area just across the road from the dog run (east side, near play fields). Of course we can bike the whole park.
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0800 sounds good….. 0730 might be even better, but that’s up to you.
I’ll park at the top just after the Youth Camp entrance, on the left. Look for the big black Jeep….. 😎
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Take care of your self.
Thanks again
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OK, 7:30 it is! I know where you are talking about. I may just ride up there since I’m not sure where the trail work will be based (if it happens at all). Big black Jeep. I’ll be looking for you. I will be on a red Trek Fuel, blue helmet. See you there! I sent you a PM with contact info, in case of weather.
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Take care of yourself over there, B — be safe and thank you for serving.
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"Bombardier" wrote
In about two weeks, I’ll be headed to my second tour in Iraq….
One year of no Wife, no Bike, and no Fun…..Ah well, at least it pays the bills…. 😏
So I’m counting on the jokers here to keep me informed and entertained with what I’m missing…..
See you hosers in a year…. 😼
Hey man, be careful over there and make it back in one piece. I appreciate what you are doing and am proud of you (all of you) for serving and sacrificing so much.
Take care, get the job done, and hurry home.
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Yea man thanks for serving. Us little wimpys over here will sit on outr bikes and develop our skillz so we can beat ya wen u get back. Sux u cant have your bike (wife goes without saying), from the pics I’ve seen of Iraq it looks like you could get into some fun stuff on your Nomad.
Good luck and be safe!
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"=ChrisB=" wrote
from the pics I’ve seen of Iraq it looks like you could get into some fun stuff on your Nomad.
Yeah, if you don’t count the mortars & 130 degree heat….. 😏 😃
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Yeaaaaaaa, those two things MIGHT cause problems lol. Eh, oh well. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of other stuff to drive 😛. What’s your main role?
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dude that sucks you got to go back so soon but i feel for ya im on my way to afganistan ACK!! i wish i could bring my bike lots o mountians..and mines..but heck its worth the risk right andthing worth doing is ok in my book but really take care over there bro and hopefully well swing by paths someday in the sandbox
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Hey guys, I’m here & doing fine…..
I won’t be bike-less for long, I’m going to scrounge one of the poor neglected Fischers that languish here on our base, and fix it up to use as my get around.
Keep riding, friends….. I’ll pop in here from time to time, and see ya’ll back in the World.
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Good to hear from you.
Are you talking about Fischer, as in the old car frame maker that also trotted out a few 10-speed frames way back when, or did you just mis-spell Gary Fisher?
If it’s the old ones, then that’s pretty cool. My first 10 speed bike had a Fischer frame.
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Ah, I found one…..
It’s a pretty sad Fischer (German version of Schwinn), and I’m almost done taking it down….
So far…. it needs…. everything.
I have to rebuild the wheels, replace the chainrings, get a new derailleur, new pedals, new cables, new shifters, & chain. The frame itself is steel, and pretty well made, but I’m not going to go crazy with parts….. It’s sorta a little hobby for me to tinker with instead of sitting around during my off time.
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Thank you for serving our country. Let us know if the locals appreciate what you and the rest of our men are doing for them.
As others have said , be safe.
z -
When I was here last time, in ’04, I had the opportunity to talk with more than a few local Iraqis. At that time, a majority of them informed me that most Iraqis were welcoming us here, and viewed us as guests trying to help them out with their problems.
I don’t know about now, as this time around my interaction with the locals is very limited.
Anyways, this is my mailing address here. Just don’t write Iraq in the address, or anything sent will end up in the Iraqi postal system! 😏
SPC Stover, Joel
APO AE 09391
60th Ord. Company -
What kinda items you short on over there; besides sand mite repellent? 😆
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My role here?
I’m a mek-ah-nik. Dirt monkey specialist. Bullet food & RPG catcher….
Actually, this time around, my job doesn’t take me outside the FOB, but my last go here, I went on a LOT of convoys as a .50 cal gunner. I volunteered for that duty, but this time I promised my wife I wouldn’t do that again. 😎
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Hey there
Talked to the local bike shop owner and I need some more info on the Fischer. Pedals are pretty general, but other than that. How many speeds, new cassett or old style. Mountain bike or street, etc.
z -
Well, it’s a mass-produced ride, standard square-taper cranks, with seperate bearings & cups for the bottom bracket. Suntour twist shifters & derailleur, 7spd IIRC. Top pull rim brakes, insertion-style stem, heavy-ass seatpost, and bolt-on wheels/axles, no quick release.
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AhÖYes those medium blue colored, full suspension that doesnít work because of seat post, soft metal crank armÖpedals falling off, purchased in a PX in Germany, ìFischer Bikesî. Oh yeah… I forgot about the rear drop out mounted kick stand. Good luck tiring to fix that!
Wish you a speedy safe return.
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I got lucky, and the Fischer I found has a chainstay mounted kickstand…. which was promptly removed and thrown away. I’m getting close to giving up on it, especially considering the sheer weight of the frame unadorned by any parts. The thing must weigh close to 15-17lbs!
I might just go and order a hardtail Kona or G.Fisher instead, but I gotta save up a little for that. The way the dust & sun here treats bikes is horrendous, so I don’t wanna sink to much geld into a bike that’ll suffer that badly.It really looks like this message board is becoming a lot more active…. and I gotta say, I’m pretty impressed with the caliber of folks that frequent here…..
I see a fairly cohesive little community of MTB’ers here, and it’s nice not having to navigate the bloated message board & egos over on Pinkbike & MTBR.
On top of that, my ride with BonkedAgain really helped my mind get straight for my tour in Iraq….. Dude kicked my @$$ on the climbs on what had to have been one of the messiest rides I’ve encountered…. But I knew at least my riding was going out with a bang! 😼 -
It’s always good to hear from you, Bombardier! I have to admit that when you went over to Iraq again I was hoping I would never end up reading about you in [i:3v3kyep7]The Gazette[/i:3v3kyep7]. But, since you aren’t riding around in the back of a Humvee holding onto a .50 cal then I guess your risk level is a lot lower. 😃
I gotta say, I’m pretty impressed with the caliber of folks that frequent here….. I see a fairly cohesive little community of MTB’ers hereI bet Jeff is glad to read that. 😆
On top of that, my ride with BonkedAgain really helped my mind get straight for my tour in Iraq…..Wow! I never would have thought I could have helped out in that way, but I’m glad that you got a kick out of it. Keep up the good work over there and when you get back and we can try some other challenging trails. 😉
Yeah, too bad it rained a half inch in our first half hour that day. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had my cell-phone in my shorts and it got totally soaked. It croaked… 😢
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That half-inch of rain, though it kinda sucked at first, really brought the ride for me together once we got to the fast swoopy parts, especially after the sun came out and it started drying up. The more I thought about it, the more I enjoyed the memory of the ride.
When things just get so mucky & miserable out, you can’t help but have fun, ESPECIALLY when you’re on a bike tearing down some singletrack.
And the death of the cellphone was justa reminder that those things are EVIL. 😉
Oh yeah, that particular outing cost me a nice penny as well…. My chainguide was shot, my wheels got out-of-true, and my brake pads were toast. 😼
Some of those trails we went down are more suited to 8"+ travel DH bikes…. or for walking. 😃I’m really thinking about a nice trip to Telluride when I get back, and probably a couple days in Fruita & Mesa Verde. Gotta decompress, ya know. 😉
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Hey man, good to know your still alive! Just thought I’d swoop in and say hey.
Getting my new ride in a few days, Iron Horse Yakuza Aniki. Its my prodject cause I’ll upgrade it.I’m going to go to the SOC in Monteray and ride beginner DH and slopestyle if they do it this year. If I get any recognition (doubtful) I’ll dedicate it to you and all the men and wemon of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Keep safe and ride hard,
=ChrisB= -
Right on, bro. 😎
That IH is a good bike to start with & that price point, if you’re gonna be racing, and worth upgrading. I like the Yakuza Aniki because it’s simple, & you get a good frame to start off with.
While you’re at Sea Otter, take a lot of pics…. especially of the "backstage" stuff that doesn’t get printed in the magazines. I’d say get me the DL on Santa Cruz’s booth there, but SC doesn’t seem to wait for SO or Interbike to introduce stuff. Hell, take pictures anyways, & tell ’em I said hey.
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Yup, that bike is pretty nice. I like the simplicity of single pivot. Defenetly will take pictures, may even film some of the other events and will probobly take my practice runs with helmtcam. Also tinking about running 4X just for the experance.
Stay alive and ride hard,
Chris -
Bombardier…
I was away when you took off for the desert…Hope you’re being safe and more importantly…got that POS Fischer in ridable condition?!?!?
Anyway, again…I hope things are well with you and all who are serving our country…You guys and girls are the best!
Late!
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Bomber man hows it goin? Whne are you comming back state side so we can go RIDE!!!???
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With all the extensions we’ve been getting threatened with, from 12 to 15 months now…. My own unit hasn’t gotten word either way if we’ve been extended yet, so I’m still in the dark on that.
On top of that, I threw out my back a couple months ago, and now I’ve got some bulging disks and a pinched nerve. Not fun. Hopefully the doc’s can fix that so I’m not permanently damaged, and hopefully it won’t impact my riding, dammit.
I’ll keep everyone here informed when I know more, and when the time gets closer for me to come home. I don’t know if I can handle missing another riding season.
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hopefully it won’t impact my riding
Damn! That sucks! Well, if it is any consolation I’m missing a disk in my lower back and I still have a lot of fun on the trails.
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On top of that, I threw out my back a couple months ago, and now I’ve got some bulging disks and a pinched nerve. Not fun. Hopefully the doc’s can fix that so I’m not permanently damaged, and hopefully it won’t impact my riding, dammit.
Sounds like a sick call ranger! J/K Hell, when I was in, I was REMF, or Chairborne Ranger!
Something like that ought to get you at least some light duty in an air conditioned office, maybe even a ticket home with surgery and recovery. Hopefully, they have cleaned up that mess at Walter Reed.
Sorry to hear about your pain. Something similar happened to my father a few years ago right before our annual fishing trip in Canada. Herniated Disc. Drove 600 miles to the lake and turned around two days later, next day he went to the hospital for surgery.
Now he is back to normal.
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REMF…. yeah, that’s the ticket…. c’ept we call ’em "fobbits" now.
Damn straight I’m being a sickcall ranger. I put up with enough work being handed to me though I had doctors orders not to. Turns out, rather painfully, that there’s no such thing as "working through" a bad back. 😮
There’s a lot of other drama that’s going on with my situation, but I won’t get into that.
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😢 Sorry to hear of your situation, Iíve been there. I suffered a compression fracture to my L3 after an accident doing unauthorized training during Sgtís time. I had a pretty cushy profile, until PCS, Cavalry doesnít have much use for a broke d__k scout, JAFO. After a bit of drama, and lots of physical therapy, I was as good as new. Still acts up every now and then but has not had an impact on riding yet.
You just need to get back home and things will work themselves out.
As for the C-dale, Bombardier, it does it all with 5 inches of travel and leaves a smile on my face every time. Okay, itís not a Nomad, it was the best thing I could get my hands on at the time. If I was in the market for a new bike right now the Nomad would be in my top 5 and the other 4 wouldn’t be a C-dale. 😮
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As for the C-dale, Bombardier, it does it all with 5 inches of travel and leaves a smile on my face every time. Okay, itís not a Nomad, it was the best thing I could get my hands on at the time. If I was in the market for a new bike right now the Nomad would be in my top 5 and the other 4 wouldn’t be a C-dale. 😮
😼
There’s two groups of riders that I love to needle…. Singlespeeders and Cannondale riders.
But I’m a hypocrite of the first degree when it comes to that, seeing as how I’m strongly considering my first singlespeed, and I did the same when I was looking for a bike to replace my HM before I bought the Nomad. I was very interested in the Prophet, but in the end the single pivot design ruled it out.
It’s hard for me now to talk to anyone about bikes without pimping the Nomad…. But that doesn’t mean I consider it the best bike ever for everything. 😉
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😼
There’s two groups of riders that I love to needle…. Singlespeeders and Cannondale riders.
If that’s the case, I sure am glad I’m not the owner of this!
Asking for a double dose?
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There’s two groups of riders that I love to needle…. Singlespeeders and Cannondale riders.
Worthiness to join the Singlespeeding Elite only takes one thing … a single gear.
Canondale? Oh yeah, that cheapskate, holier than thou, bike manufacturer, in the next town over from me? They make pretty good bikes but I don’t care for the bastards that run the company.
Back when I was growing up, before they made bikes, they made camping equipment and jackets. I still have a vest and a sleeping bag that I still use.
So, I had a revelation today on this 9 mile ride I did today on some really sick, gnarly trails, and I am no longer riding my mountain bike rigid. That is rigid with two 26 inch wheels! I am going back to squish!
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Well, I’m at Rammstein! I’ll be here for a couple days waiting for my medevac flight to the States….. and pardon my french, but goddamn it feels good to be in German!
It’s a nice 63 degrees, cloudy, and damp, just the way I like it. I even took a big ol’ whiff of the dirt out back of my ward that I’m staying in…. I miss this place that much. Being in a pit like the middle-east really makes you appreciate the smell and feel of good, moist soil.
I should be flying out of here on Tuesday, and I’ll be back in the ‘Springs on the 29th/30th…. just in time for my birthday….
Happy birthday to meeeeeee!
(pain meds are good! 😃 ) -
wait… your back stateside and rolling again? YEAH sweet! Take a trip out to CA this summer and shred with us at northstar on the weekends.
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I’m back in the ‘Springs!
I don’t have internet yet (this is through the internet cafe on post), but if anyone around these parts wants to go for a ride, give me a ring, this weekend would be sweet.
719-287-7335
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Glad your back in the land that thinks it’s free
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