I noticed, while mowing the lawn on Sunday, that it's cricket season again. So I gathered 2 dozen of the little hoppers, put them in an aerated plastic container, and gave them a chunk of carrot and some oatmeal to eat. My plan was to dry roast them and cover them with chocolate. So, last night, I put them in the oven, on a lightly greased baking sheet, for an hour at 93 degrees Celsius (200F). Then I tried dipping them in milk chocolate. That didn't work very well. My chocolate was too thick. I got a couple of them…

Last Saturday was hot and steamy. The recent rain has brought sticky humidity and had filled up the Minnehaha Creek with enough water to float for the first time since May. Timing couldn't have been more perfect either, because our friend Marlin had just sent us his Alpackaraft, I just got new frame bags from Epic Designs and recently built up a new Travelers-Check. After strapping the 5 lb (2.3kg) raft to the handlebars, the split paddle to the top tube, the PFD to the paddle, and the rest of the junk inside the frame bag, I still had room…

A couple weeks ago, an Alpacka Denali Llama packraft showed up in the Surly office. Our adventurous friend, Marlin Ledin, loaned it to us, so we could try bikerafting with an inflatable boat that weighs about 2.2 kilograms. I don't have much experience in a raft or canoe...even though I've lived in the Land of 10,000 Lakes for the vast majority of my life, so the thought of getting into a little boat with a bike and camping gear strapped to it was a little intimidating. But I knew that my first outing would be on the low ‘n' slow…

Hello. If you have reached this message we are currently at the annual tradeshow and dorkfest known as Interbike. It is in Las Vegas - a town where the lack of both morality and bar closing times befuddle even us. Still, we are there. This means we will not be as quick to respond to your many questions and inquiries. Thanks for your patience while we are away. We'll get right back to you upon our return. Yours, The Surly -----