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About

For half a century, Tamia Nelson has been ranging far and wide by bike, boat, and on foot. A geologist by training, an artist since she could hold a pencil, a photographer since her uncle gave her a twin-lens reflex camera when she was 10, she's made her living as a writer and novelist for two decades. Avocationally her interests span natural history, social history, cooking, art, and self-powered outdoor pursuits, and she has broad experience in mountaineering, canoeing, kayaking, cycling, snowshoeing and skiing.

Bar(con) Talk: A Harrowing Tale of Bar-End Shifter Corrosion by Tamia Nelson

Some things look worse — far worse — the closer you look at them. That’s the case with bar-end (or barcon) corrosion. The scourge of bar-end corrosion can happen to anyone, even to cyclists who are diligent about keeping their bikes in fine working order. It’s happened to Tamia’s Surly Long Haul Trucker. And it’s been found on a Soma Smoothie built by a mechanic friend of hers. Has it happened to your bike? You’d better check. Today. Because the consequences of not nipping bar-end corrosion in the bud can make you feel faint.
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by Tamia Nelson | December 3, 2017

I discovered the scourge of bar-end shifter corrosion when my Surly Long Haul Trucker was almost six years old, and with over 18000 miles on the clock. She’s — I named her Petra, and it suits her; she’s really been a rock — she’s my maid of all work for most everything from shopping to “amphibious” trekking. She’s held up well, despite the fact that a lot of the roads in my corner of the North Country are paved … Continue reading »

How to Keep Your Hands Warm When Cycling in Cold Conditions by Tamia Nelson

Cold-weather cycling can be every bit as pleasurable as the fair-weather counterpart, but nothing can bring a winter ride to an end faster than numb hands. Here are some strategies to help avoid that.

Who likes bicycling with cold hands? Not me, and not you either, I’d be willing to bet. Not only can cold hands be painful, but they are unresponsive. Working shifters and brakes when fingers are numb is dangerous. But finding a way to keep hands and fingers warm and supple on cold rides isn’t as easy as simply keeping them warm. Warmth and dexterity must be reconciled. Mittens are the enemy of dexterity, while gloves don’t always manage to keep the hands warm in slicing cold winds. I’ve always favored gloves, but they’re not as warm as mittens. There’s more. A fabric’s ability to keep hands warm is a function of the thickness of insulation, yet if insulation is too thick, dexterity is hampered and it’s hard to get a solid grip on the bars.

So clothing hands for cold weather … Continue reading »

Surly Long Haul Trucker: There are Many Like it but This One’s MINE

There’s no doubt but that the Surly Long Haul Trucker as been one of the most popular touring and all-rounder bikes on the market, but each cyclist has his or her own requirements to fine-tuning this rig. Here’s how Tamia has outfitted her LHT.
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by Tamia Nelson | November 10, 2017

Special Note For Short Riders If you’re thinking of buying a Surly Long Haul Trucker with a 42cm frame, then you might want to check out “Small Talk About the 42cm Surly Long Haul Trucker,” which answers the most commonly asked questions prospective short-frame owners ask. Just click through the hotlink to get there.

For years I wanted a a Surly Long Haul Trucker, and finally, in April, I bought one. The 42 cm LHT, painted “utility blue,” was a terrific fit right out of the box, and I was pleased with Surly’s choice of components for its steel frameset (in other words, the frame and fork). But like most enthusiastic cyclists, I couldn’t resist customizing the bike—dubbed Petra—to suit my particular … Continue reading »

What Good is a Dead Tree?

The Others have an answer to the question in the title. But is anyone listening? Tamia is.
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by Tamia Nelson | October 10, 2017

The Expert looked at his watch, and gave his companion a thumbs-up. The job wouldn’t take long. A flight of finches exploding into the air. Neither man noticed. The Expert eyeballed the old pine. He didn’t see the red squirrel clinging to the trunk. He saw only the brown needles and the bare limbs.

“What good is a dead tree?” the Expert asked, not expecting an answer. His companion knew the question was purely rhetorical. And he marked the pine for removal.

The two men thought they were alone. But they were wrong. And the Others who were present did their best to answer the Expert’s question. He wasn’t listening, though. Perhaps he never had. In any case, his companion was anxious to get going. Time is money, after all, and the Expert had more trees to condemn.

Yet the dissenting voices of the Others continued to make their case, long … Continue reading »