Monday, May 31, 2010

Jandd Waterproof Saddle Cover

We live in the Pacific Northwest, a very wet area, as any frustrated Olympian awaiting spring this year can attest. Despite our wet weather, commuting and doing errands by bike is pretty popular here. Good bike parking under cover from our frequent rain is not always available, yet we have some compelling reasons to want our saddles to remain dry:

1. We enjoy tensioned leather saddles, that should be kept dry for proper longevity.

2. A wet butt is usually attached to a sad rider -- even if your saddle can get wet, it is not very fun.

We have carried and used several waterproof saddle covers over the years, and liked many of them. Some are no longer available, such as Truant's cover. Jandd offers a pretty darn good one that we carry now and recommend for anyone, regardless of whether their saddle can survive getting wet or not.

The cover has a very tidy appearance, with a webbing strap the holds the cover in a tight roll via velcro. Unrolled, one can see a decent waterproof coating, though it is not seam-taped. In use, though, this has not proven to be an issue because there are no seams atop the cover, unlike many other offerings out there, so there really is no way for rain to penetrate. Way to eliminate a major failure point, Jandd.

So, how's it fit? It fits PERFECTLY on a Brooks Pro/Conquest/B-17, and snugs up like a dream with the included shock cord. Very nice, indeed:


This product is intended to be for use when the bike is parked -- it is not for riding on. That might sound funny, but many folks are used to covers that are intended as "re-upholstery" for a worn saddle, like the old Avocet saddle covers. If you ride on the Jandd saddle cover, you will likely abrade the waterproof coating, ruining the it. Instead, use the cover only when parked, and stow it when riding the your bike. Think about it. When you are riding the bike, you are protecting it from rain.

We do note that there is no "leash" to prevent the cover from being lost accidentally. We have a workaround, though. Loop the shock cord around a saddle rail and put the whole cover through that loop.

You can still deploy the cover and also roll it up and store it under your saddle above the rails. This way, if it the cover ever came off your saddle, whether deployed or stowed, it would still be attached to your bike. Here's to dry saddles, dry butts, and well-made products. Come on down, and get set up with a Jandd saddle cover.

Now, about the lousy weather we've been having....

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National Trails Day is Saturday, June 5th!

There is no better way to show your love and appreciation of our trails, be they paved, gravel or dirt, then by helping to work on them. The Woodland Trail Greenway Association has a number of small work parties at 9AM this Saturday and a celebration at noon as well:

Olympia: Put mulch mats on our newly-planted trees at the Fones Road Crossing of the Woodland Trail.  Contact Jack Horton (360)789-0944.

Lacey: Invasive species removal at Woodland Creek Community Park at the east end of the Woodland Trail. Contact Lori Flemm (360)701-6814.

Thurston County: Invasive species removal at the Chambers Lake Trailhead of the Chehalis Western Trail. Contact Kerry Hibdon at (360)867-2181.

Celebration at NOON: Wrap-up at the "T" intersection between the Woodland Trails and the Chehalis Western Trail for light snacks and a celebration.

  Enjoy the trails: ride your bike or longboard; skate or walk.  Just get to the intersection of the Woodland Trails and the Chehalis Western Trail by Noon! If you are not familiar with this location, call Jack Horton (360)789-0944 for directions.

Alternately, if you prefer off-road trail work, volunteer with Friends of Capitol Forest to make new sanctioned trails, and repair storm-damaged ones; FOCF will soon be building a bridge out of modular parts volunteers carry in -- cool! Drop them an email if you'd like to help out.

Thanks to all the volunteers out there. Happy National Trails Day!

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Sunday, May 30, 2010

Chehalis-Western Trail (CWT) Bridge Opening

Despite the fact that the ribbon cutting on the CWT Martin Way bridge was a couple months ago, I still wanted to acknowledge it, and also to report on the prospects for the final bridge over Pacific Avenue.

Also, as mentioned earlier in this blog, Congressman Brian Baird was at the ribbon cutting ceremony, where he recalled the "citizen lobbying effort" about this phase of the project:



BTW, he's kidding about almost getting killed, though, right Congressman? Uh, sir?



(Olympia Power & Light also reported on the story, but I am sorry to say I cannot find a weblink for it.)



Anyway, I want to thank everyone involved in the project, as well as all those who came out to the even, undeterred by the iffy weather. Ironically, May's weather has been worse compared!


Very Good News:
Pending closeout of the project, word from Thurston Regional Planning Council staff is that there is enough money left to fund property acquisition, design and possibly even full construction of the last portion of the "Gap Project" over Pacific Avenue, near the "Kite Girl" statue in Lacey. I wonder if she'll find another place to reside....

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