Hey, It's tradeshow season for us, which means we're going to be a little thin in the customer service department for the next week and a half. If your e-mail seems like it got ignored, don't be sad, it'll just take us a little longer than normal to reply to you. As for phones, you might need to leave us a message instead of talking to a real live person. Thanks.

Until recently, we've had a bit of a drought this summer and our beloved Minnehaha Creek dried up for the first time in the 36 years I've lived near it. What better way to explore it than by bike? Enter Pugsley.

The creek stretches 22 miles from the western suburbs where it starts at Lake Minnetonka, home of the original Tonka Toys. Since the lake water levels were so low, they closed the damn and let the creek dry up. This is the creek we're normally canoeing down this time of year. Also the creek we've occasionally ridden on while frozen during the winter.

I dropped in near my house and proceeded to find knee deep water right away. Albeit slow, the only problem was the stench of the floating white bellies. But as soon as I was wet with dead fish soup, it didn't really matter any more, as long as I kept my mouth shut. Along with the dead fish were plenty of live ones, trapped in what few muddy puddles remained.

There were long sections of sand, long sections of mud and even longer sections of rock. Embedded in these rocks were all kinds of former gems; like yo-yo's, hairbrushes, golf balls and fishing lures. For as many times as I've swam or canoed in the water and ridden over the ice, I've never seen this underbelly of the creek before.

I'll let pictures speak for words with the rest of my story. All I can say is that the rain has started again, the creek is raging and I hope some of you locals got a chance to ride it because it may never happen again.

Pug In Creek Photos Here

Happening in Minneapolis:
The Church of 2 Wheels, Zito T. Bikezealot pastor, is once again gathering the flock of those who want to rock, those who want to roll their city's underside, who want to feel the love and ride with the other peoples on the bikes. The Minneapolis Freeride is back for another all day croooooze Sunday, August 26. Do you see the light?!

Happening in Australia:
From Wayne at our Ozzie distributor Dirt Works:
"I thought that you guys might like this one. Lucas is the editor/publisher of Adventure Gear magazine. Last year he walked across the Simpson Desert. (no clue why… when there are perfectly usable bikes to ride…). Attached are some pics of his most recent 50klm desert walk WITH HIS CHILDREN…"



From Lucas:
"There is a group of 10 who wish to try and repeat my 400km Simpson Desert crossing and they've asked me to advise them on various aspects including the cart and to support them when out there in case anyone drops out.
The big problem with desert travel in spinifex country is that a lot of time is spent with one wheel up on a clump of spinifex and the other in a hole so the cart is sitting at 45 degrees and most of the weight is thrown onto the bottom wheel at an unhealthy angle.
In summary:
20 wheels.
Surly 4" rims
Triple butted spokes
Heavier hubs with 12mm bolt if possible and larger, heavier wheel bearings.
I'd also need 21 tyres.
No tubes required (I'll use motorbike tubes to cope with the big prickles)"



I love that guy.

We also have this to share, sent to us by the newly crowned Mrs. Lund, Short&Angry:


And finally today, the proper method for cleaning your chain. You should see how they brush their teeth.

Attention Pittsburgh: STOLEN SURLY ALERT

From Peter S.:
"I'm sad to report that my Surly Cross-Check was stolen last week, 07 Aug. 2007, from Pittsburgh, PA. I figured I'd send you the information on it in the unlikely event that it is seen from or heard of again. I ordered the complete in the misty mountain grey from Trek of Pgh on about the 29th of April. The bike was mostly stock, with the addition of Shimano M540 pedals, a shorter, Bontrager neck with the red background Bontrager B logo. It also had black Alex rims and a red Trek of Pgh sticker on it on the downtube. Most importantly, I guess, is that the Serial No. is M7010409. I'm pretty sure it was a 54" frame.
So I guess if you should ever hear of/from 'er again, know that she's sorely missed."

Long shot, but can't hurt. If any of you have info contact Peter at pstreibig@bcj.com.


Bike thefts seem to be up around here this year, and Peter says he's noticed it in PBGH too. It could just be that there are more bikes to be seen this summer versus years past, so the number is up though the percentage stays constant. While this may be true, SuperG thinks it's also the result of the widening economic gap, particularly gas prices, making bikes again a popular draw for convenience theft, driven by the same forces that made it financially advantageous enough for someone to steal the downspouts from my garage.
I bring this up because it has become impossible to ignore. The lovely and talented Ms. Bloggins' bike lock has been tampered with 2 times in the past 6 weeks (after years of never having been messed with), and pal Mullen's bike was stolen off her porch during National Night Out, a community building get-to-know-your-neightbors thing. (Because prevention still beats u-lock justice, no matter how satisfying it may be, Pittsburgh Peter notes that Bike-PGH.org is helping organize discussion and solutions. If you live around there, get some of that.)
People do get their bikes back occasionally. Mullen did finally get her sweet red-n-white croozer back, but she had to stay on the case like a bloodhound. It needed some new parts when whe found it, but it'll be up and going again in no time. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Still, at $50 reward and $70 in new parts, it ain't exactly christmas.

Tanner Moffit stopped by sporting his new limited edition cap today. Call your favorite Surly dealer today and ask them to order one for you. QBP part numbers are CL0396 (S/M) and CL0397 (L/XL). These are felted wool, hand made in the U.S.A. and will cost you around $32. We have a couple hundred and once they are gone they will be gone. Emily picked this color combo so please don't risk her scorn by not buying one, OK?