iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 20/02/2026

Great ride tonight! Really great to see the return of Ann, Craig, and Catherine! Not pictured is Nelson who I didn't notice had ridden out to hit the street crossing button. #bicycle #charlotte #bikecommutercabal

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 24/11/2025

My #RedCross branch finally got the 2024 plaque up. That's two years in a row for me. :) I missed 2022 by one donation, only got 17 that year. This year I've hit 20 so far, and am on track for 23 by the end. We'll see. Donate #blood if you can. There's always a need!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 11/10/2025

You ever get social overload? Spend too much time interacting with people and get social drain? Today, too get away a bit, I rode up to a coffee shop. Put in my order, and went to read comics. 30 minutes later the coffee hadn't come up. I know I should have gone to ask what was up, but couldn't.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 09/10/2025

So, yeah, this package was not delivered to my house. I usually just look at the photo and from that I can generally figure out where it was mistakenly delivered. This time, though, the photo was taken while the package was still on the truck. So... great.

An email confirmation of a package delivery from UPS. The photo is a picture of the delivery driver's feet and the front seat of the delivery vehicle, with a package in it.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 03/10/2025

Getting a little bit of a chill in the air. I love riding at this time of year! #bike #charlotte #bikecommutercabal Thursday Night Lights!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 12/09/2025

Great night for a bike ride! Get out there and ride ya #bike! #charlotte #bikecommutercabal

the 8 of us, out at night, on our bikes. Lots of headlight glare is on the photo.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 08/09/2025

I need a little welding/fabrication done to my '71 Beetle. Anyone in #Charlotte know a good place to get some welding done? This is the worst of it in the bottom of my A Pillar, but there are also a couple of other little spots.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 06/09/2025

Out for a ride on the Virginia Creeper.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 01/09/2025

Brew day in the Malt Garage. A Belgian Session, an American Brown, a Red Bitter, and a Holiday Ale.

My mash tun, kettle, and fermenter, ready for Brewing.

On to chilling the wort, getting ready to pitch yeast.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 26/08/2025

More rust treatment on the #vw #beetle. For this, since it's quite rusty, I hit it with the wire brush and got off as much surface rust as I could, then used POR-15's degreaser to really clean the entire floor, then use POR-15's etcher to help with adhesion with the POR-15 paint. Driver's side next.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 22/08/2025

Another wonderful Thursday Night Lights. Love this group. Hopfly Brewing Company didn't disappoint either, with an excellent Dunkel. #bike #bikecommute #bikecommutercabal

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 16/08/2025

We went to visit my parents for their 60th anniversary. One of their neighbors came by with this beautiful 1929 #Ford Model A. He took us for a ride and then said, "Do you want to drive it?" So much fun! 3 speed stick with no synchros, so you have to time the shifting. #antique #antiquecar

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 15/08/2025

We went to a brewery last night with live comedy. We weren't there for the comedy, so we sat outside. The brewery piped the comedy out there, and I have some notes...

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 10/08/2025

Tackling some of the rust on my 1971 #vw #beetle. This POR-15 can paint right over rust. Get the loose rust out and you're good to go. The spare tire well here has several pinholes, but it's still got enough steel left that it doesn't need to be replace, if I can stop the rust now. #aircooled

A picture of the inside of my spare tire well in my 1971 VW Beetle. It's rather rusty, with some pinholes.

The inside of my 1971 VW Beetle's spare tire well, after cleaning out much of the rust, and vacuuming out all debris.

A can of POR-15. A very thin paint that is good at stopping and preventing rust.

The spare tire well in my 1971 VW Beetle, with loose rust removed, and Por-15 painted on. The Por-15 is grey, contrasting against the red of the interior, but since the spare tire will go here, this area will never be seen anyway.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 09/08/2025

First Cars and Coffee event. Had some problems getting it started, so I arrived late, but here it is.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 07/08/2025

Of course you can carry a 55" tv with a Fiat 500. You just have to get creative!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 07/08/2025

Of all of the native plants in my #northcarolina native #garden, the Joe Pye Weed seems to be the favorite for sleepy bees. Every evening, we can see several that have borrowed in and fallen asleep.

A bumble bee, sleeping in the blossoms of the Joe Pye Weed. Joe Pye Weed has small pinkish blossoms in large tight clusters.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 31/07/2025

I've wanted another beetle for many years after selling my old one. Today that wait is over. It needs a lot of attention, but I'm already loving this little '71 beetle.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 28/07/2025

It took 31 hours of working last weekend to accomplish it, but we at McClatchy Media have successfully migrated our news sites to our #cloud provider. A Herculean effort from many different teams. Really happy with the results. #devops #sysadmin

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 19/07/2025

W00! I just got home and noticed that one of my Kajari's was almost ripe, and the biggest one was missing. I checked the ground under the vine and there it was. It'd picked itself. This could be the most perfect Kajari Melon I've ever grown. #kajari #northcarolina #garden #gardening #nc

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 17/07/2025

These late nght,/early morning shifts during this migration are really getting to me. I just answered my boss's Yes/No question "Zero." "Has node 21 restarted yet?" "Zero." "???" It had not restarted yet.... #sysadmin #devops #cloudops

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 12/07/2025

Really like these pretty little Stregonta Beans from this year's #garden. I wish I'd planted a lot more.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 11/07/2025

Riding through uptown #Charlotte, on a wonderful Thursday Night Lights ride. Everywhere we went, the rain had just stopped. And yes, I call it Uptown, because I moved here in '89. My wife's a unicorn and would never call it that. :) #bike #bikecommutercabal

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 07/07/2025

Same Kajari melons, 16 days later. Just a little longer before they turn orange and will be ready to harvest. I've been looking forward to these all year! #garden #garening #kajari #charlotte

Two small kajari melons, on a vine. They're dark green with light green stripes. They're a little larger than my fist.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 04/07/2025

Free Wheeling Friday Breakfast ride.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 26/06/2025

Little Fairy Tale Eggplant Fasciation. So cool when you get little doubles like that. #garden #gardening #fasciation #charlotte #northcarolina

A photo of my Fairytale Eggplants. They're very small purple eggplants with variegated skins. In this picture, I have a single flower that has split into two eggplants joined at the same stem. Very cool.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 21/06/2025

Little waterfall lean. I pass by this little secluded waterfall along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway often, but today was my first time stopping to really appreciate it. #bike #Charlotte #northcarolina

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 21/06/2025

First baby Kajari Melons of the year. Really looking forward to these, if I can keep the deer at bay. Last year, I only got one tiny melon because the deer ate much of the early plants. #gardening #charlotte #northcarolina

Two tiny green melons about the size of my fingertip, growing along a fence line.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 20/06/2025

Thursday Night Lights (all 5 of us!) met up with the NoDa Social Ride at Lower Left Brewing Company tonight. A good time was had by all. Great night to be on a #bike in #charlotte!

A few dozen bikes parked outside Lower Left Brewing Company

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 13/06/2025

Sometimes the rain wins. Thursday Night Lights ride. We switched destinations and hit up Lost Worlds.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 08/06/2025

Rainy homebrew day. On the left is my summer beer, a light pilsener with chamomile, lemon verbena, and lemon balm. On the right, Rob's ESB.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 03/06/2025

I lead a few tech teams. My current teams are in India and the previous teams were in Colombia. Both, I've found, to be extremely polite, but in different ways. The team in India is very respectful, and always calls me 'Sir.'

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 31/05/2025

This little tomato volunteered in my garden, so I'm letting it grow. A week ago, the deer came through and ate the top. However, I noticed that there was a little sucker growing on it, so I let it go, and sure enough, it's becoming a new main branch. #garden #gardening #charlotte

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 30/05/2025

I had to go onsite at the #Raleigh News & Observer on Wednesday, and around 9:00pm when we were done, I came outside to find this very large, happy group of cyclists coming down Fayetteville Street. #bike Really cool looking group.

A hundred or so bicyclists riding on a downtown street. Lots of different lights on bikes.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 22/05/2025

Nice turnout for last night's Ride of Silence, remembering and honoring those who have been killed or injured while cycling. #bike #charlotte

A group of about 50 cyclists, riding 2x2.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 16/05/2025

Great time at the Free Wheeling Friday bike commuter breakfast at Common Market South End. I couldn't ride my bike this morning, as I needed to take my daughter to work just before breakfast, but there was a great turnout today. #bike #bikecommute #bikecommutercabal #charlotte

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 05/05/2025

To the guys who keep coming to our house offering to get rid of the spiders... yes, there are spider webs on our house. This is because we keep our house outside in our yard. That's where the spiders live.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 09/04/2025

I've worn a Kinekt Design #Gear #Ring for over 10 years. It's a discrete fidget, I find myself playing with when I get anxious. I lost this one in 2022, and bought a replacement. Yesterday my wife was investigating a series of small animal holes in our yard, and there it was! #LostAndFound

My two Gear Rings on my finger. On the left is my old silver one, cleaned up from being burried for years. On the right my darker "gunmetal" ring I've been wearing daily.

A ring with gears along the inner race, and teeth around the outsides. The outer parts of the ring can spin against the gear. In this picture, the ring is packed full of dirt from having been buried for years.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 08/04/2025

Me: <Rarely ever logging in to #linkedin , and even then only logging in to decline invitations to link up... > LinkedIn: Based on your recent activity, you may like more posts by this guy you've never heard of!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 07/04/2025

I got my 10 gallon badge with yesterdays #blood #donation. I've still got several of the seasonal ones left. (Gotta catch 'em all) If you can donate, whether it's #redcross or #oneblood, or any of the others, please consider doing so.

A phone screenshot of the Red Cross Blood Donors app showing the milestones for gallons donated, with the 10 Gallon Donor activated. Still missing several of the holidays such as New Year's and St Patrick's Day.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 29/03/2025

Absolutely beautiful day in #Charlotte. Had to get outside today. #bike #beer #art #mural

A mural that looks like Scooby Doo and Shaggy in the Mystery Machine, but the side of the van reads The Taoh Park. This is at a mural garden called Taoh Park

Another mural featuring Bigfoot. The mural says Appalachia.

A mural of several spray paint cans with faces.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 28/03/2025

The newly reopened section of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway is very nice. They widened it by quite a bit, and made the little bridges that cross the creek diagonal, so they're easier to cross on a bike. It was a long time coming for that 1 mile stretch, but we're very happy it's back! #Charlotte

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 21/03/2025

Chilly morning for a breakfast ride! I got complacent and wore the wrong, insufficient, gloves, so my fingers were pretty cold. Made it difficult to work the clasp on my helmet! Otherwise, a wonderful ride. Always great having breakfast with this crew. #bike #freewheelingfriday #charlotte

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 18/03/2025

We're getting some really cool birds this year. This pair of Pine Warblers is new. I love how the male here does a great call right at the beginning of the video. We've also got a Carolina Chickadee that stops frequently, but I haven't captured it singing. #bird #birds #charlottebirds #birdbuddy

app.mybirdbuddy.com

Check out video of Pine Warbler landing on tvini's Bird Buddy feeder

Beautiful video of Pine Warbler landing on tvini's Bird Buddy feeder located in Charlotte, United States!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 15/03/2025

I lost sight of my daughter in the crowd, but how hard could it be to find her? She's the one all in green.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 14/03/2025

Who's orange, stripey, and turning 19 years old this weekend? This guy! Looking good, Calvin. #cats #catsky

Our orange tabby cat. He's resting on a black blanket that is completely covered in shed fur. We really need to clean that again, but it only takes him about 2 or 3 days to completely cover it. :)

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