2022 King of Autumn

As my interactions with this blog seem to dwindle despite my best intentions, I still circle back when I have something good to post. A tree in fully furious fall foliage remains one of my favourite things. The King has been tricky this year, displaying a wide variety of colours. As is often the case he chose bright yellow underpinnings and a fierce reddish orange overcoat, but also stayed a little green a little long in some spots. I took these pictures weeks ago, but here they are, better late than never I hope.

Winter is pretty much here in London Ontario Canada, first decent snow fall came yesterday. I hope it provides me with some great video or at least inspiration to make me post some more. In the meantime be kind to yourself and others and if that is difficult, maybe hug a tree.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

2021 King of Autumn

There are 3 blog posts between this post and the King of Autumn post from last year. All evidence points to my pretty much stopping with this blog. However, I still have a great deal of affection for it and the people I've met* through it.

I was late getting this year's photo because my commute hasn't taken me that way in a great while due to seemingly never ending road work.

Anyway here's the king:

While I in the park taking this photo, some guy walking his dog told me that I must see a red tree doing a fun colour change from the top down a couple of blocks away. Not one to ever turn down a good tree tip, here's that one:

I didn't want to let Autumn go by without keeping my tradition of posting the King, but I must admit I'm not pleased with this half-assed effort. No matter what I'm doing or not doing with the blog, I will endeavor to catch the King at his best next year.

One reason I'm not writing as much is that my creative outlets have shifted into more guitar playing and singing (which was difficult after my brain thing but is still getting better all the time) and making things out of old bikes. Remember that Trek 520 I painstakingly documented the building of? There was something up with the fork or frame that I was never able to properly correct, but made it ride funny. As a result I later converted it into wind chimes and a lamp, of course. I posted the chimes on etsy and they sold almost right away for a fairly high price, which has led to me trying more stuff. My efforts are sometimes clumsy or crude or misguided, but I'm just learning as I go, having fun and trying to sell the stuff anyway. If you're interested, take a look at my store on etsy here. 

Have a spooky good Halloween!

R A N T W I C K

*in a correspond or reply to on the Internet sense; I have never made the effort to actually meet people in person. I know some people use their online lives to strengthen or make more exciting their real existence. Not me. I kind of like keeping those things separate.

The King of Autumn, 2020

Yes, it is that time again. Strangely, the King has almost always been an orange colour when I post him, but the first time he was a glowing yellow. As I've mentioned in other years, he is orange on the outside but glowy green and yellow on the inside this time too... anyway here are 2020's photos, much like the other photos I've been posting for 12 years!

May Your Tallest Friends Flourish,

R A N T W I C K

The King, 2019

It would seem I'm quite willing to let the blog slide these days. However, it would feel wrong not to post a picture of this Autumn's King; I have been doing it for 10 years!

Here he is, lookin' great as always, although the picture is from a couple of weeks ago and he's probably nearly naked now.

I've moved back onto the Fat bike with the big pogies and everything.

Outspokin Cycles assisted in rebuilding the wheels that were misbehaving in colder temps; the rear got a lovely new Hope Fatsno hub that I'm confident won't act like a jerk. It has a nice loud ratchety sound (the pawls, I guess) that I really like. I'm finding that my advancing age combined with a loss of dexterity due to silly brain stuff is resulting in a newfound willingness to pay others to wrench on my bike. I suppose that's not a bad thing, since local bike shops seem to be in jeopardy all the time. I must confess, though, that I bought that fatsno hub online for way less than the LBS price, once again from across the ocean. As much as a good LBS will always be of value to me, my own cash is also of value to me. As such I happily pay the LBS for the things I can stand to pay a little more for and buy the other stuff online. We got Mrs. Rantwick a nice bike at an LBS a couple of years ago, so we're not all bad. Note: You can't buy a good bike mechanic online. A relationship with a good LBS (or three) is always a good thing.

If you're considering riding right through the winter this year, do it! You won't be sorry. Or maybe you will. How the hell would I know? How about this instead: Try it, you might like it as much as I do!

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Catch Up

I've been busy, so here's a little catch up post! How are you? Good? Good. The King says hi...

Now, since we're playing catch-up, those leaves have fallen and snow has begun here in London Ontario. There hasn't been enough snow and ice for me to really test my new winter machine, but so far it has been great!

I got those Jumbo Jims studded and pogies on! Wooo Hooo!

And last, a pointless anecdote: When I was little I and my friend Darren would walk to school together, most often trailing behind my big brothers and sisters, who would turn back and yell "catch up", to which Darren and I would reply "Ketchup"? and laugh our heads off at our total cleverness. In Canada, catsup is spelled and pronounced "ketchup". This leads me to a question: Is catsup catsup all over the USA, or do some yanks say "ketchup" too? Thankfully the three people who still visit my poorly tended blog are American, so I may get my answer.

Those of you who enjoy winter riding, congrats, I hope you enjoy it as much as I plan to! If you are from southern climes where you ride without much trouble all year long, up yours. I mean it, you lucky buggers.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

The King of Autumn, 2015

Hello there! I'm in a rush but wanted to touch base with the old blog, you know, so I'm just gonna pay homage to the King of Autumn now that that the leaves are mostly gone.

Here's the best shot I was able to get this year:

The King - October 23

What was interesting to me was that the outer leaves were that bright orange, but the inner ones were an awesome glowy yellow green...

I wondered how that would play out, but I didn't make it back before he was TOTALLY NAKED!

The King Is Shed! Long Live The King! - November 9

I'm hoping to have the time and energy to revive the Autumn Tree Smackdown next year. I'm thinking a nice flexible name that I can use over and over without worrying about a new acronym or numbering system would be good, like the "Sort Of Annual Rantwick Autumn Tree Smackdown", or SOARATS. I think that has a nice ring, even though for me it also brings to mind high-flying rats.

Rather than leaving you with that mental image, SnowFace and Mrs. Rantwick wanted to say hi, so here they are instead:

Well Hello There!

I am SO PLEASED that Mrs. Rantwick is the one with the buggy eyes...

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K