Nathaniel Salzman

Chicago area designer, writer, maker and journalist.

Vespa

May 1, 2009

Ride Log: One wheel in front of the other

May 1, 2009 — My new job (yay!) starts on Monday, so today was my last weekday to just ride for the hell of it. Unfortunately, my desire to do so was somewhat dampened by the ongoing wobble issues I’ve been having with the Vespa. The tire wobble, as unsettling as it can be at time, – Read More –

April 30, 2009

Ride log: New Helmet

April 30, 2009 — Today was a short check ride comparing my old Fulmer Modus flip-up helmet to my new Scorpion EXO-700 solid full-face helmet. My main motivations for replacing the Modus were weight, ventilation, the added safety of a solid chin bar, and especially noise reduction. For any helmet, fit is of course the most – Read More –

April 24, 2009

Ride log: Urban Touring

4/24/2009 — Today was a genuine vacation ride. Since the season opened about a month ago, I’ve ridden out of road hunger, out of compulsion, out of boredom, but now my days of lazy scooting are numbered with the new job starting up. Today the weather was my siren song and I was not alone. Forecast – Read More –

April 22, 2009

Ride log: Medicine Lake Meandering

4/22/2009 — I’m happy to say that I’ve transitioned from being a statistic of the economic downturn to a statistic of the economic recovery — i/e it looks like I’ve got a job now. As such, a big part of my day’s focus is actually now gone. I no longer need to job hunt, which is – Read More –

April 17, 2009

Ride log: Country Road

4/17/2009 — Today I succeeded where I mostly failed yesterday: I got pleasantly and completely lost. A few TWAAM episodes ago, one of their intrepid panelists recommended County Road 40 in the southwest metro. After some rather boring and un-fun highway miles on what turned out to be the wrong road, I finally intersected CR-40 and – Read More –

April 16, 2009

Ride log: The Wobble Strikes Back

4/16/2009 — The weather today was simply gorgeous, so I geared up, put in my ear plugs, and decided to get lost in the west metro. Unfortunately, not far up the road my infamous wobble returned and remained for the duration of the ride. It came and went here and there, but was pretty consistent. On – Read More –

April 14, 2009

Ride log: Wobble, Wobble, Wobble

4/14/2009 — For the most part, I’ve been able to treat my lack of employment as a much needed vacation. Most days I scour the net for opportunities, email out resumes and portfolio links, do some odds and ends around the house, and then my day is my own. It’s not a bad way to live, – Read More –

April 13, 2009

Ride log: Bob’s Cycle Supply

4/13/2009 — When my role as a statistic of the recession is over, I have a number of purchases I want to make. The MINI needs tires, the Vespa needs cowl guards, and I badly need a new helmet. My current lid is a $100 Fulmer Modus — good enough to keep my melon intact, but – Read More –

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