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I have to head back to AJ’s another day. I saw a handlebar bag that might fit my SL2 rigged with the 35 Cron APO.

Bike and shoot…

BTW a relaxing day.

I’m excited about making the Ti IBIS a fitness bike with a 1x11 XTR. It will have the disc brake on the Rock Shox SID Race for enhanced braking. The rear tire will be a Schwable Kojak wick is a slick that is 1.5 inches wide, and the front a Schwable Marathon Supreme that is a semi-slick that has a 1.6 inch width.

I figure these tires with their armored belts would be a good compliment to the Ti IBIS. I also have the Newsboy with the longer wheelbase. The Newsboy is the comfort bike, but the Ti IBIS more sporty.

The way the Rock Shox SID works is pretty much it is like a rigid fork until the pneumatic threshold gives.

I wonder If I want to make the steel IBIS Mountain Trials into a rigid single speed. The extra wheel set could be used to allow the Ti IBIS to be a convertible say if I wanted to go to New Paltz and ride the carriage roads.

The steel IBIS could also be made into just a trials bike. Hmmm.

Cal
 
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Pretty clouds this morning in the Hudson Valley. Extra fluffy and with contrast and the color of orange.

8 1/2 hours sleep. I figure an extra half hour to compensate for the 40 minute run/jog. The hour of walking was just a cool down and for blood flow. I feel a nice tightness in my torso from the running I did yesterday. I think this is from the rolling hills.

Easter will be at our house with the grandkids. Of course “Maggie” will go into Maggie mode, and will today get into a frenzy about tomorrow.

I have pleasant dreams about changing around the two IBIS’s. The steel IBIS will be a single speed: either a 30 gear inch trials bike; or a 63.59. I also have a 32 tooth direct drive chain ring where I could have a single speed mountain bike.

This bike would go back to being a full rigid. The 50 gear inch mountain bike single speed I think is the idea with legs, and pretty much an easy conversion to trials with a chainring spyder change along with a different chain

The spare rear wheel will support a conversions between mountain and gravel on the Ti IBIS which will feature the Rock Shox SID Race fork with a disc brake. Drivetrain be would be a simple 1x11 XTR. I gain about half a pound with the fork, and some weight from the new wheel, but I’ll loose some weight from going from 2x11 to 1x11: shifter; chain ring; cable; and derailleur.

This will be a fun bike. Rather sporty and light in weight. It weighs currently 19 pounds with mountain bike tires and as a 2x11. It would be great if it stayed sub 20, I think it can, and will be. With slicks it would be a great bike for Moab on the slick rock. A kinda cross between gravel and a cross bike. Perhaps a bit of BMX thrown in there because of the short wheelbase and short chain stays.

I’m living the dream…

Cal
 
Doing Easter at home is saving us money. Also the grand kids are not so well behaved in a restaurant. In our home they know how to act. The parents don’t really reel in the bad behavior, but in our house they follow our rules.

Basically it is not a pleasant experience to go to a restaurant with the kids. Also less stress.

I called AJ to have him put the handlebar bag I saw in his shop aside because I’ll pick it up later in the week.

Things are lightening up as the weather is warming. Pretty much running and biking to work on the fitness. In the middle of April I will be doing my annual physical. I definitely put on about 5 pounds of muscle on my upper body.

My PCP specializes in Gerontology, and she is very great at what she does. I am so grateful that I can get quality medical care right here in Peekskill that rivals the care in NYC.

Out and about today I actually got recognized before “Maggie.” Also some guy said he knows me from somewhere.

I’m looking forward to having more time for myself and for working on the house.

I came up with another idea for the steel IBIS, and that is to make it into a 2x1 for a 63 gear inch, and a 48 gear inch. I think this will be the way to go. I have a 42/32 “DUO” that is spyderless.

I learned a lot today by attending a meeting on housing and city planning. Listened to a panel and got informed.

I also am going to use the sections of cedar fencing I salvaged to make as many 4x4 foot squares for raised beds. Our local homeless shelter does farm to table and believes that food is medicine. I’m going to stage the building out of these squares and will get them into our community so we can grow food.

Pretty soon Home Depo and Lowes will have their spring sales on garden soil. I need to buy screws and some firing strips to have on hand.

Cal
 
Pretty much I have committed to making as many 4x4 raised beds as possible to help feed the needy in Peekskill. Austin posted that photo with the caption “Growing food is printing money.” Thanks for the inspiration.

My plan is to get the furring strips I need on hand. I’ll cut then in half to make two 4 foot sections that will secure the cedar planks to create a side.

I guess the lumber and screws will be my donation to CHHOP the organization that cares for our hungry and homeless. I talked with the CEO today at the housing meeting.

I have a Dewalt compound radial arm saw and the stand for it. Cutting all the wood to dimension is easy work because I have the right tool.

Then I’ll kit out the planks to assemble 4 foot sides before I go out and buy the furring strips and screws.

Even if I have to screw all the sides together it will be quick production work.

I saw at Shop Rite today that they sell top soil for $2.50 a bag, but soon the “Garden Soil” will be sold at Home Depo and Lowes for $2.00 a bag. I want people to capitalize on this yearly sale.

I know people that might provide seeds and seedlings. I for one have enough Basil seeds to supply that herb.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll start trimming the cedar to length in the morning. I’ll square off the end then cut to a one foot section.

Cal
 
One idea is to distribute the squares to families in need, but will they have the money or time for gardening?

Another idea is to distribute to friends of CHHOP who would grow food to supply CHHOP’s food pantry and kitchen. Pretty much buying the soil would be their donation to helping those in need plus their labor of gardening.

We also have a community farm that supplies CHHOP.

Anyways no matter how used it will help.

Cal
 
I woke up early and was thinking about roasting the turkey breasts early and getting a jump on sizing the cedar. Later in the week is expected some rain to work around. I guess this is part of spring fever.

I came up with a more Austin like design that would use less screws and wood I would have to buy. Some of the squares would be 30x30 or 36x36, but I’m cool with that. Also less work which is clever. The most good, high yield, and EZ-PZ is the Slacker’s-Way.

Pretty much just use a 2x2 corner to exploit the longer pieces of cedar.

Utilizing this wood also gets it out of the way. It is stored in my garage which is kinda full.

Yesterday’s Housing meeting I used to plug the Pump Track to another urban planner in our community. Basically Colon was on the ballet running for Mayor of Peekskill. I told him about the response I got from the Hudson Greenway meeting from the urban planner Pete.

Colon asked, “What’s a pump track?”

Then I explained and how it would draw in cyclists, and how it would bring people to Peekskill to visit and spend money. Colon is going to look into this.

Colon then said, “Peekskill also needs a skate board park.” My response is that we are a city. I’m promoting Peekskill as a biking destination. One day our riverfront promenade that is built out already will connect with others so basically you can run, walk or bike the entire length of the Hudson all the way down to Yonkers.

The nearest pump tracks are in Port Jerve-US and in Washington Heights in Madhattan.

I mentioned the ideal location under Route 9 by Dain’s Lumber. “Not a residential area, and free parking on the weekends.” Also pretty low costs to build and maintain. I’m talking with the movers and shakers that can get this done.

So now I’ve lite two fires and got two enthusiastic responses.

I need a pump track, and pretty much if built where I want it the track would be about 2 miles from my house.

The workout on a pump track requires standing on the peddles, and the idea is using rollers, gravity, momentum, and a shifting of body mass in time to accelerate, build speed, and go fast. No peddling required. Pretty much a strength workout.

The turns are banked to help maintain speed. My IBIS’s set up as a single speed would be really ideal pump track bikes.

A pump track kinda is like a skateboard track, but it has to loop. Does not require a lot of space.

I think I can get one built. How cool would that be?

Cal
 
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A cloudy day with expected rain.

Would like to run, a long slow one, but I also have to trim cedar to prep for a driveway event building out garden squares for the community. This week is the beginning of April showers it seems.

CHHOP is going to do a flyer, and I’m meeting with them Wednesday afternoon. I will likely need to use and practice my Spanis at a conversational level. Peekskill is an immigrant community and the majority of the population is Latino. 5 of the 13 homes on my avenue are Latino, but pretty much my neighborhood i would say is a white pocket.

I will start cutting wood after breakfast if I can with my compound radial arm saw.

Cal
 
I moved my work station into the garage. I had it set up under the pergola, but eventually the expected morning rain started.

I will reside to working in the garage after a Home Cheapo run. So far I assembled 4 kits. Pretty much I cut the cedar to 16 equal lengths to make a kit, and so far I made 3 kits. I spent a lot of time gathering materials and setting up the staging.

My squares are approx. 24x24 to basically maximize quantity and minimizing the amount of screws and lumber I have to purchase.

A 12 inch length of wood will basically be on the inside to join the planks to form the sides. EZ-PZ. A simple design.

Instead of a 4x4 square it will take 4 of my modular units to create the same amount of garden space. Assembly is quick one kitted out. Pretty much I’m going to set up production in my driveway.

The cedar fencing I reclaimed is still fresh, and the patina is beautiful.

“Maggie” tells me Cynthia will likely set a lot of other things like getting free mulch, seedlings or seeds. This is what building community is all about.

Remember I read that food prices have increased 25% over the past 4 years. Austin made the point, “Growing Food Is Printing Money.”

Peekskill was the last affordable place to live in Westchester. I would say it is not so affordable anymore. The housing shortage is real.

Off to Home Cheapo to buy lumber and screws.

Cal
 
Gold opened up at $2259.20 with a day range of $2249.10-$2286.40.

Currently $2257.20.

Gold certainly is ratching upwards towards my $2300.

My worry is that inflation/stagflation is currently rooted.

Cal
 
Gold is at $2258.60. Oil is above $84.00 a barrel.

Meanwhile the three major indexes are in the red with the DOW down around 269 points.

An interesting headline is that it is now cheaper to rent rather than buy in the top 50 metro areas.

On my way to Home Cheapo I listened to NPR-WNYC and listened to a report that unwound a Wall Street Journal article of why people are depopulating Austin.

The takeaway is that housing in Austin is no longer a bargain and expensive housing is causing people to leave to other cities like Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Phoenix. A response mentioned environmental concerns, and because cities are densely populated that in fact they have a lower carbon footprint than say suburbs or rural areas.

People are more likely to walk, bike, or use mass transit. It was also cited that Austin did not build out adequate mass transit infrastructure, and congestion is a major problem. Also infrastructure like electricity and sewers add to being better in cities as far as being greener.

Also suggested is that New York is depopulating because of the cost of living and the lack of housing that is affordable.

I bought a 5 pound box of decking screws. Don’t know how many will be needed, but I’m cool if there’s a stockpile of leftovers. I also bought two bundles of 2x2’s eight feet long, 9 pieces in each bundle. Don’t know how many I need, but if I have to I’ll get more. They were on sale for $3.35 each. I could always use them to build trellises for my garden.I also have to build at least three.

In my back-backyard I need to build a tower of sorts for the Wisteria to climb. The dead tree fell over in a storm. Oh-well…

A relaxing, but late lunch, now back to my factory work.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Wall Street Journal article of why people are depopulating Austin.
Click to expand...
Cal,
We left Austin in 2017 after living there over 30 years. So much growth was happening so fast. The roads getting extremely congested and each new road they built to help with that was a toll road ! Got to the point where it took over an hour to travel the distance that took 20 minutes before. Also there is a growing homelessness issue there. Summer time is in triple digit temps. Many folks that moved there are now leaving.
The price of Realestate went nuts and with it the property tax.Texas has no state income tax so on property they sock it to you. We had a two bedroom one bath home with just a carport purchased in 1999 for $135,000. We sold it for $450,000 and moved to Colorado to retire. My tax on the place was north of six grand a year. That house has been flipped three times since we sold it. Last time was for $975,000 and the tax is now twelve thousand bucks a year. Can't do that on retirement income. My place in CO was bought with cash and the tax is less than $1500 a year.
Even on retirement income we still bank more than a thousand a month.
We were there for a visit in February and the place has grown out of control. So much traffic and everyone runs around like their hair is on fire !
Have to say we do not miss it. We still visit as our daughter and her husband and our identical twin grand daughters live just outside Austin.
 
Further to the southwest may be a better option.

We have two sets of American friends who have recently moved to New Mexico. One from San Diego, the other from (interestingly) Charlotte. Both for the same reason, the cost of housing has soared to ridiculous levels and they want to retire with a little spare money. So they sold out and are buying/downsizing at lower cost.

One other couple we know moved out of Phoenix last year, citing high costs, lack of suitable water and the hot climate. So it seems the "housing illness" we are experiencing in Australia, and as cited by Cal, is hitting everywhere.

Here in Australia prices are crazy-insane. We bought a renovated-modernized three bedroom 'weatherboard' in a country town in Victoria (the state) two years ago for $405,000. On a large property with established lawns and gardens, on a side street, an easy walk to all the shopping. Other similar houses on our street are now selling for $700,000+. Our town recently had its first million dollar house sale. For a property I personally would have passed on at half that price. More money than sense...

Anyway, let's go back to New Mexico.

Apparently the areas around southwestern NM are still affordable. One lot of friends have moved just out of Silver City. The other lot plan to settle around Las Cruces if/when they find somewhere suitable. I've written for detailed information on costs, taxes, relocation expenses etcetera, so far no response. Obviously they are too busy packing or unpacking.

The Silver City lot have ambitious plans to buy acreage north of the city to set up a winery. Not sure about the quality or feasibility of wine in that arid climate. Maybe tequila...
 
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On NPR-WNYC the expert being interviewed mentioned you can’t have real estate as an appreciating asset and have affordability at the same time. Basically one or the other.

Gold closed at $2271.30. The Inter-day high was 2276.00 which also became the new 52 week high.

When there is Stagflation (persistent inflation) real estate and gold appreciate because they are a store of value.

In history paper assets usually end up as losses. Just a matter of time.

I lived in New Mexico for a year and a half when Ronald Ray-Gun was President. I worked on one of his Star Wars projects at Los Alamos. Santa Fe back then was filling up with Californians and people who were dying of AIDS. It was a wonderful place, but my neighbor who had a recent vacation there said it is much changed.

Mucho homeless. The Police keep the riff raft out of the Plaza during the day, but later they return when it gets dark. Not so pretty or safe. The Santa Fe I knew is gone.

Our Baby-Victorian appreciated about $200K, and this Thanksgiving will mark 4 years of ownership. This increase actually might be conservative, because we bought a house that basically was a rental and was last updated in 1975. That update was a Home Cheapo special.

Know that we spent a lot on upgrades and went lux. Because we bought the house so cheap, it is approaching almost doubling our money for the right buyer when we have the house as a turn-key. Our home would get bid-up by dinks, or a professional couple perhaps with one kid. The right buyer though would be the key.

Taxes in Westchester on property is mucho crazy. “Maggie’s” sister paid $30K for nothing fancy, not a McMansion, In Dobbs Ferry, a rivertown. Pretty much nothing special, and not a wealthy community.

Peekskill was the last affordable place in Westchester, and I is a desirable place to live because it is an art community, its location, and because it is a rivertown. Know that Westchester is a county of affluence and there is a lot of wealth here, but not in Peekskill.

Maggie’s three younger brothers retired and moved to North Carolina recently. They are either walking distance or a few miles away from each other. All the homes are brand new. Housing is cheap down there by New York standards.

There is a term called “Half-Back” where New Englanders retire to Florida, but then move again in retirement back up the east coast.

Maggie’s daughter (the Creature), husband, and grandkids are going to move down to the Carolinas. They are homeowners in Cortlandt nearby. Pretty much the cost of living, the level of stress, and the BS is sending them south for a reset and a slower pace with a higher quality of life.

They plan on putting their house up for sale soon. Maggie is heart broken by the thought of distance. Pretty much I’ll be driving down frequently.

Unselfishly I understand and want them to be happy. Here in New York their lives have stress right at the breaking point. Their jobs are never ending and demanding. The Creature is an Assistant Principle and the grandkid’s father is a special ed teacher. All kinda of take home drama.

This fallout effects the kids I feel. No Unions down south, a very different vibe. A real shortage of special ed teachers since housing is booming down there. Pretty much the lowlands that remained undeveloped for good reason: storms, floods, and scorching heat. They are building schools…

We looked at Wilmington, but we only like the old historic homes that are pricy and inflated in price. The new homes would be like living in a trailer for me. There are problems with flooding, hurricanes, and forest fires, besides oppressive heat and humidity. The winters are pleasant though.

I had to consider my health issues and my CAD. We would loose a lot, so moving is not in the picture. Perhaps/maybe decades out if the situation changes. If anything further north into the Hudson Valley.

So the takeaway is that we are kinda priced out, and pretty much what we have now in Peekskill would never be able to be replaced. Our UBER low mortgage, our strategic central location, mucho low taxes that have “You suck factor,” and a new network of creative friends spreads out through the Hudson Valley and the Catskills.

We pretty much have the ideal perfect home.

The round trip to North Carolina is three tanks of gas. The coastal route is the way to go to avoid the snarl of the Beltway. About a 10 hour drive that lacks congestion. Elizabeth City is a nice layover.

Basically In the Hudson Valley we have a good supply of water, and now short mild winters.

Our home has become something special that can’t be replaced.

Cal
 
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I broke off of working on my 24x24 inch squares at 8:00 PM. My DeWalt compound miter saw has a light so I was able to see and cut in the dark.

Built out four complete squares as samples and for my own use. Kitted out 14 more.

Still have about 60% of the pile of rescued cedar left. I have the Audi in the driveway, and I have all the work now staged in the garage to get back to it soon.

It takes about 40 minutes to assemble one of my kits. The cedar is soft, and I have to drill pilot holes to avoid splitting.

After I trim the rest of the cedar, I think I will know how much more lumber or screws I will need. Could be another $100.00.

This work of charity has become more work and more expensive than I thought, but I feel good about it. Starvation is happening in Gaza, but here in Peekskill there is hunger and food scarcity, but I’m able to do something meaningful about suffering at a very local level.

The 25% increase in food prices is real. Now my thinking is that you must grow your own food or go hungry.

Water shortages and droughts surely will elevate food prices further. We are lucky that our back-backyard has a southern exposure.

Cal
 
Gold closed yesterday at $2271.30.

Today’s open was $2272.70; currently $2279.30; and $2287.50 today’s Inter Day high which is a new 52 week high.

Gold is on a tare. New higher-highs. The three major indexes futures are all in the red.

As long as gold is on a tare I figure so will housing prices because both are a store of wealth. Big jumps in home prices happened in the 70’s because of stagflation. Inflation back then extended into the 80’s. I remember COLA wage increases.

Oil is above $85.00 a barrel.

Remember $100.00 oil means a recession. A slow economy combined with persistent inflation defines stagflation.

Today we will have both grandkids. Not sure I will get any work done. Oh-well. All I need to do is cut cedar into kits, and perhaps buy more wood and screws to be ready.

Tonight is some “Salon” meeting of artists.

Cal
 
Gold keeps edging higher.

The Mid East is a mess. They blame Mid East tensions are why oil prices are higher.

They say extreme weather will create food inflation. They predict 4% a year in food prices. Understand that this is a compounding effect that is major huge.

They say that extreme weather will be more of a problem closer to the equator than further north and south. Here in Peekskill it seems we are in a good place.

I’m thinking I need to consider collecting rain water for irrigating my crops. I have 4 drains on my gutters to exploit. Hmmm.

Cal
 
Gold set a new Intra-Day high of $2300.00 and is currently $2299.00.

Wow. That happened fast.

Gold and housing prices are pointing to stagflation. Food prices due to global warming and predicted severe weather will be a source of persistent inflation. The predicted 4% increases in food prices has a compounding effect. This is pretty serious and has health consequences.

My worries are becoming true.

Cal
 
Gold’s daily range today is $2287.70-$ 2308.00. The Open was $2301.70, but is currently $2291.60

The three major indexes pre-market are in the red. Will today be another red screen for the three indexes?

Today in the late afternoon I have a meeting at CCHOP.

Cal
 
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