Jan 31 2010
This is a “Sticky Post” and will remain here for some time—newer articles are posted below this one. On January 27th, thieves broke into Oklahoma Velo Sales in Tulsa and stole two Surly LHTs. Contact us if you have any tips on these thefts… Read More details…
Feb 08 2010
When this site was launched in May 2008, I planned it as a place to describe my explorations by bike, boat, and on foot, and to pass on what I know about those activities and other endeavors. It was logical to call my site Tamia Nelson’s Outside Up North, but the geographic focus didn’t stop readers from all over the world from becoming regular visitors. Then, within a few months, I was receiving a steady flow of mail from others who enthusiastically wrote of their own experiences and views, and they hailed from all over the United States and Canada, with a good many from Brazil, European nations, and Australia. Quite a few of these folks have generously shared their photos and stories, while a few have come aboard as regular contributors. It’s heartening and rewarding that people from all corners of the globe are engaged in similar pursuits and want to talk about them with others. That’s no surprise, really, since the Internet has opened up communications and made it possible for people to get to know one another however far apart they are. Moreover, no one group of people has a monopoly on the love of cycling, paddling, walking, photography, and art, and an appreciation of the outdoors transcends civil boundaries, age, and language.
So what’s the bottom line? Simple. For quite a while now, we’ve been boxing the compass and publishing views and ideas from everywhere. Now, to commemorate this, we’ve refreshed our site’s appearance and have adopted a new name, dropping the “Up North” in recognition of our expanded scope.
One thing has not changed, however, and that’s our outlook. We’re still dedicated to no-octane enjoyment of the outdoors, and through our writing, photographs, and artwork, we pass on what we’ve seen and learned. We love bicycles and cycling, whether we cycle for transportation or for recreation—or both. Some of us even enjoy watching the pros, because their grace and skill are inspiring, and their determination and feats are exciting. We love paddling our boats, too, on stillwaters and swift. We’re inveterate trekkers on foot in all seasons, exploring our backyards and further afield.
Our activities bring us closer to the beauties and wonder of the world around us, which we celebrate through our quiet, self-powered pursuits. These revive the soul, enrich the mind, and recharge the spiritual batteries, without leaving a heavy stamp in our wake. If you feel the same way, then you’re one of us, wherever you live. Welcome aboard Tamia Nelson’s Outside. Enjoy the journey as we move forward!
Feb 07 2010
The vintage Schwinn is an elegant old steel roadie. Not too aggressive, but capable and fast. She needs new brakes, though, and winter is a good time to do work on the bike. Question is, should the old center-pulls be reconditioned and returned to the bike, or would side-pulls be better?
We love our bikes and everything that goes with them, right? And we never tire of looking at them. At least I don’t, and if I’m to judge from what others tell me, I’m not alone. So each Sunday I’ll publish a bike related picture. Most of the time the picture will be a photo, but I’ll also include drawings, paintings, sculptures, and any other representation of a bike or bike stuff. If you have one you’d like to contribute to the gallery, just email your picture(s) to me.
