Hills, Headwinds, and Happiness

School's back in, sucka

2006-09-03T21:02:00.000-04:00

And just so we're clear, I'M the one who's the student. Participated in the Wheelmen annual road race this morning and got my ass handed to me. Managed to come in last place overall (DFL to all you seasoned racers out there), dropped in the second climb on the second lap (of four total five-mile laps).

I suppose I could come up with all sorts of excuses for why I got beat down--didn't eat, ate too much, too cool/humid/residually wet/etc. etc. The simple fact of the matter is that I have hardly been on the bike all summer, spending time with my family and getting acclimated to the new job (and the highly variable schedule). Oh yeah, and the fact I donated blood at work about two weeks ago--won't be doing that again until the off-season.

The schedule does leave some time for riding during the day, but only now that both the kids are in preschool. Counting the race this morning, I actually rode four times this week, which is more that I rode for the whole month of July and August COMBINED. Twice at Patapsco on the SS, once on the road bike around Howard County for 40 miles, and the race. Looking forward to lots more miles in the next few months, maybe even a 'cross race or three.

Speaking of riding at Patapsco, met a new ride buddy through Race Pace who happens to be the manager of the Trek mountain bike team. Great guy, awesome rider, showed me lots of new trails at Patapsco I hadn't even noticed while riding me into the ground. Hopefully he's not too beat down after the Shenendoah 100 race this weekend (yes, 100 miles on a mountain bike). Like me, he has the sort of job which allows for long day rides when the rest of you peeps are at work. I am always looking for more like-minded riders with similar schedules. See ya.

Schaeffer Farms

2006-04-18T20:26:00.000-04:00

Got the opportunity to ride off-road with some friends this past Saturday, and it was wonderful. My buddy Scott (from Arizona) was staying with me last week, and he finally brought my singlespeed MTB back with him. He brought some basic riding gear, and rode a borrowed bike. Todd, a perennially strong rider I used to work with, rode with us as well.

I haven't ridden at Schaeffer Farms in a long time (about five years or so), but it was more fun than I ever remembered it to be. MORE has really done a good job keeping the trails in great shape, building bridges and a couple little stunts here and there. There are still lots of log piles, but also ways to get around most of them. I found myself riding stronger there than I remember--the last time I rode, I still had my Fat City with gears.

The terrain is perfect for singlespeeds--no sustained climbs and nothing super technical, just lots of rollers and well-made trails. I had forgotten how much fun creek crossings were! There weren't any of those out in Arizona...

Scott, admittedly out of shape, was bringing up the rear, and ducked out a little early. Todd led our little group all the way, as he is most familiar with the trail system. I say trail "system" because there are a bunch of new trails out there now, and they're all a lot of fun. The map on the MORE website hasn't been updated in a while--the recently cut trails have been marked (in orange).

I was proud of the fact that I was able to keep up with Todd the whole way, despite my lack of technical skills. I did find myself wishing for a quicker-handling bike, however, as the front end of the Bianchi is a little slow for my taste. Todd used to ride trials and has been riding both road and mountain far more consistently than myself, so I was happy to be able to match his pace, if not his bike-handling skills. In his defense, he was riding a rigid Pace carbon fork, while I had a suspension fork, so I had an easier time of it. He regularly passes cross-country racers on the uphills and dual-suspension bombers on the downhills on his Two Circles SS bike. Talk about a strong rider, with bike-handling skills to match. He was talking a bunch of crap about being "slow and fat", but I didn't believe it for a second.

Anyway, we celebrated by cracking open a few Yuenglings after the ride, then made our way home (late, as usual). A great ride with great friends. Sorry I wasn't able to take pictures; I forgot the camera. Next post will certainly have some pics with it. I have yet to properly introduce the Bianchi SS bike--that'll be next up. Sorry for the lack of posts last week, but we had company for nine days, and we usually stayed up late shooting the feces. I promise I'll be better from now on, a'ight?

Wayward pictures

2006-04-03T22:31:00.000-04:00

This Picasa thing sure has it's ups and downs. It makes uploading pics much easier, but I can't seem to get these particular pics to work in my post. So here they are, floating free in a sea of electronic information.

The above was supposed to be below the title--nobody specific is in the frame. I think its the Cat 4 lead group, but it could be the Cat 5 group.

Above is the three of us after the race--Terry (left), Alain (center), and myself (right). Here's hoping this post will work...

IT'S ALIVE, I TELL YOU! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

2006-04-03T15:44:00.000-04:00

I finally got the derailleur hanger over the weekend, so the beast now lives! Comfy position, too, nice and upright. I pimped the bike out with "One Less Car" and "Joe's Bike Shop" stickers, not to mention reflective tape. Had to move the grocery panniers all the way back on the rack, and they still graze my heels when they're open. Good thing the grocery store is less than a mile away.

Only thing I want to change--the shitty headset. I got the cheapest headset I could find (Ritchey Logic for $10 at Nashbar), and I definitely got what I paid for. The thing is stiff as a board, yet still loose. Can you wrap your brain around that dichotomy? I have trouble, too. If you park the bike on it's kickstand, the handle bar will stay in the position you left it in (as in, it won't flop over to the kickstand side). Despite this, there is still play in the bearings when you rock it forward and back with the front brake squeezed. What's up with that?

Anyway, I'm going to call my friend Scott (he of the "Cows Suck" blog you can access on the sidebar)--maybe he has something floating around his house. He's coming out here to crash and see his daughter next week, and I'm hoping we can go for a ride while he's here. Take it easy!

Tour of Walkersville

2006-04-01T19:48:00.000-05:00

My personal race report can be summed up by the worst three letters in cycling--DNF. I had a flat on the second mile of the race, before the first corner. Talk about frustrating. I guess that's what I get for:

1. Riding on open-tubular-style tires (which have sat unused for about four years), ultralight tubes, and recently rebuilt wheels. I hadn't ridden a single mile on this setup until today. Dummy. Never change your setup the night before a race, particularly something as important as tires. I learned this the hard way.
2. Not taking advantage of the neutral wheels in-out chase van, even though I brought my training wheelset to warm up with.

After I caught a couple of rides back to my car, I changed and hung out, hoping to support my teammates and get some pictures for the blog. So my DNF is your benefit; here are my rank amateur pictures of my homies.

Above is Alain Philippe, the other new CW member, and apparently the one with smarter tire/equipment choices. Raced alongside him in Cat 5 for about two miles.

Alain again, just starting lap #4 (I think?). He said he got caught behind a crash on the corner from Links Mill onto Dublin on lap one (a pretty fast, downhill right-hand corner), and the pack strung out afterwards. The frontrunners were about 15-20 riders strong and pretty much stayed together, but I don't think anyone was able to rejoin them. I would have loved to try to bridge back to the pack (assuming I got caught in the same predicament), but never got the opportunity.

Above is Terry Harrigan finishing the final lap, a blur of speed a little ways behind the main Cat 4 pack. He noted the super high pace in Cat 4, and having ridden with him, for him to be dropped is surprising. Sandbaggers, perhaps?

Alain finishing; he spent most of the race riding with two other dudes, one of whom is in the frame.

Hopefully my next race will be more successful. I was all ready to go (note the previous blog post), and was frustrated I had a mechanical issue. At least I got to hang out with a bunch of like-minded people on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. It was a little windy, but the weather was warm (mid-60s, I would say), and most people were riding in shorts and SS jerseys. Alain blamed his placing on my presence--he called me "bad luck". I hope he was not serious (just kidding, Alain).

Terry (left), Alain (center), and your humble scribe (right).

Does this make it official?

2006-03-31T14:08:00.000-05:00

I took some time this afternoon and did the deed (no, not that, you pervert). I actually shaved my legs. Went after 'em with the power clippers first, then finished up with the Gillette Good News! (do I have to give them money for writing that in my blog?).

I will refrain from posting pictures of my newly shorn legs, as this isn't that sort of blog, and it's just sort of creepy, you know?

It feels weird, though if memory serves, you get used to it after a day or two. The last time I shaved my legs was 10 years ago, when I was racing at Bucknell University. Since I'm going to compete in the Cat 5 class at the Tour of Walkersville tomorrow, I felt it might be prudent to do so. Plus, that's what all the racers do, right?

Cherry Blossom Ride

2006-03-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

My son and I joined a few other like-minded cyclists on a jaunt down to Washington, D.C. to see the beautiful cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin. Mike Harris, Donna Carollo, and Steve Browne rounded out he group, and we used the Capital Crescent Trail to get down to the Mall/monument area. A lovely trail which I'm very familiar with, as I used live nearby.

It's hard not to feel patriotic when you're surrounded by so much history. I love the fact that the monuments are designed to be experienced up close, not from afar. They are very physical and interactive, for lack of a better word. I got to see some of the newer monuments I hadn't seen yet--the FDR Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the WWII Veterans Memorial.

The cherry blossoms were allegedly at their peak today--I'll leave that up to the horticulturists. The crowds were relatively light, the weather was perfect, and the cherry blossoms were stunning.

My son Ryan even enjoyed himself, as were were able to get out of the trailer from time to time and "interact" with the monuments. He particularly liked the FDR Memorial, as it had lots of blocks to climb on, lots of loud and splashy waterfalls, and a statue of a little dog he seemed to enjoy.

Cyclist vs. motorist, round 1

2006-03-27T22:41:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I didn't mention this when I wrote about the group ride yesterday, but I'm going to now.

During the ride, about 12 miles into the actual "group" part of it, we were riding single paceline along a nice stretch of country road (if you're interested or have nothing better to do, westbound on Triadelphia Road in Glenelg, MD, just west of Rt. 32). There was no shoulder on the road, as is the case with most of the roads we ride. A woman in a late-model burgundy Ford Explorer decides to come tearing up the road from behind us and proceeds to put on her right turn signal, as if to turn onto a residential street, right through the middle of our paceline. As there was oncoming traffic, she had to shift back fully over to her side of the yellow line. She was alongside a number of riders at this point, and the only thing that prevented them from being bumped off into the grass was experience and bike-handling skills.

She was forced to slow down and pass what I assume to be her intended turn--in her benefit she did not actually attempt the turn. I was right alongside her car at this point, and pissed off. I yelled at her (I don't remember exactly what, but nothing particularly explicit), banged the right rear quarter panel of her car with my fist, and sprinted around her on her right.

This apparently really pissed her off, because she gunned the engine and pulled up right behind me in a meanacing manner, even bumping my left leg with the right front corner of her car. She had powered her right-side windows down at this point, and yelled "Don't you ever hit my car again!" as she drove past. To which I responded, "Don't run us off the road, bitch!"

I spoke with a police officer about the incident today, because apparently her actions could be construed as attempted assault. Interestingly, so could mine (my hitting her car). He left the decision up to me, but made it sound like going through with even a report (much less pressing charges) would be a waste of time and effort. He noted that what I did was foolish, as he has seen three people shot (two of whom died) for the simple act of messing with another person's car. I admit that my actions at the time may not have been the brightest, but I was angry and tired of being treated like cyclists don't belong on the road. I don't know if things are any better or worse wherever you live, but I for one plan on helping to make it better around here. I just need to figure out how, besides joining One Less Car or something.

Sunday group ride

2006-03-26T14:16:00.000-05:00

Ah, the meat 'n potatoes of any club team--the sunday group ride. I was able to go today, though I had to leave early, circle back, and break off in order to get my miles in and make it back home by noon.

Left at 9am, after actually riding to the start to see if anyone else was like-minded. Apparently not, so I rode the first hour alone, doing 18.5 miles along my usual hour loop (Centennial/108/Homewood/Folly Quarter/Triadelphia/Rt. 144/back home). Got back to Enchanted Forest at 9:55, and to my delight there were actually people with which to ride! 8 or 9 of us altogether, and all pretty fast, too. I was happy for the opportunity to ride with Terry and Alain, two guys on my club who I heard about and talked to over e-mail posts, but never actually gotten to ride with. Also saw Mike H., and got to meet a couple more guys--Mike Walther (who leads a regular Saturday AM ride from Mt. Hebron HS), Bill, and Bruce. I was only able to ride with them for about 1:15 or so, and had to break off to get home on time. They were going out for 50-60 miles total; with the ride home, I got to 51.79 miles. Longest ride so far this year, not counting 24HITOP. Looking forward to more rides with guys like this, so I can work on my pack riding skils and push myself harder than I would otherwise. My legs are SORE right now!

Have you lost some weight recently?

2006-03-21T21:35:00.000-05:00

Well, yeah, you know, I've been workin' out a bit, you know, and...

I actually HAVE lost a good bit of weight in the last few months. At my peak, I weighed around 215 lbs. or so, give or take. Last time I weighed myself on the scale at the gym (a real beam scale, not the sorry-ass electronic Target special in my bathroom at home), I weighed 192 lbs. My goal was to get to 190 or so, but I might keep going a bit more--maybe 185?

I'd love to say that there's some magic potion I could sell you which caused 23 lbs to melt off in three months, but the reality of it is there's no substitute for eating less (and smarter) and riding more. I do take one of those "weight smart" multivitamins daily, but I can't actually say it makes a great deal of difference. I figure it can't hurt, and at least I'm getting my vitamins on days when my diet ain't that great.

I'e been consciously trying to eat more fruits and vegetables, pretty much eat only whole grain bread products, and less snacky-type/junk calorie foods. Swore off non-diet soda, drink very rarely, and backed way off the Starbucks (that stuff is killer). Smaller portions and going out less, also (it helps that the kids have acted like little animals when dining out lately, so Carrie and I enacted a moratorium on it for a while). I'd like to get a metabolic rate test done at some point to get a better idea of my actual caloric needs; maybe I'll do that along with a VO2 max test at some point in the future.

The Spinning classes, as I wrote about before, have been a great help as well. They have not only helped me lose weight, but increase fitness and leg strength as well, a nice combination. It's hard to get motivated for home trainer rides, so I'm hoping to get out and ride some more now that spring is starting to, well, spring. I might start running a bit again, too.

I'm really going to focus on cutting out extra foods for the next week and a half, so I don't gain any weight before Walkersville on April 1. Looking to do the Greenbrier mountain bike race on my SS bike at the end of April, as long as I get the bike back before then (AHEM).

Walkersville reconnaissance

2006-03-19T23:11:00.000-05:00

I went out to the Tour of Walkersville course yesterday to scope it out for the upcoming race (two weeks and counting). This here's what I found.

1. The course is nice and fast, with really good road quality. A little bit of it (part on Old Frederick) is part of the "Three Covered Bridges" ride I do with Todd from time to time, which was nice to find out. Not really hilly--the hills which are there are short and semi-steep. No sustained climbs upon which to launch an attack. The final corner onto Dublin Road is going to screaming fast, as it comes off the short, wide-open downhill section on Links Bridge.

2. There is a strong possibility that there will be no traffic on the course whatsoever--something about a rolling divider or something like that. Sounds cool to me.

3. Eight mile laps add up quickly, especially when you're riding alone. Started the ride with Jeff Via and Bobby Phillips, but left them after a couple of laps. Should have waited for Terry and Alain, as they looked like they were riding strong when I drove out to find them on the course after I was finished. More my pace.

4. The place was crawling with teams; Bicycle Place Velo Club was finishing up when I got there, there were the 5 of us from CW, another gang from Artemis, and what looked like 15 or so riders from NCVC. Hell, all they needed was a team car with spare bikes--they were all matching. Riding surprisingly slow for a group with that many riders. Maybe some of them are new to the group riding thing, haven't gotten their paceline skills up yet. Lots of girls, so I'm somewhat envious.

5. If there is wind on the course for the race, it's going to be killer. It was windy as hell on Saturday. The only nice thing was that the wind was consistently coming from the same direction, so at least you knew what to expect. Headwind all along Devilbiss Bridge, then the wind's at your left for the section on Old Frederick. Where there might have been a tailwind, along Ramsburg and Links Bridge, the terrain was hilly enough that it blocked the wind, so no assists on that part. Then the last right turn onto Dublin, the longest stretch, pretty straight so you can see riders aways ahead of you, with the wind gusting from the left and blowing you off the road into the drainage swail.

Looks to be a fun race--beats a 1.5 mile square course around an office park any day. Not to bust on criteriums, as they are the lifeblood of cycling around here. It's just too hard and too expensive to get a police assist to block traffic for most of a day for a bike race. Keep checking back, I'll keep you updated on the training. Might go into the diet/ body weight with the next post.

So much for technology

2006-03-19T23:06:00.000-05:00

In my quest to provide you, dear reader, a better and more fulfilling product, I seek your help. I'm having a hell of a time uploading pics to my posts. Every once in a while it works fine, but most of the time Blogger/Picasa/et. al. just seem like they're fucking with me. Please help! Any recommendations you mat have would be graciously accepted. As thanks, I'll be happy to post a link to a site of your choosing in my sidebar. If you think your blog/webpage/eBay store/etc. was busy before (or then again, if you didn't), just wait 'till you get links from this blog. Whoa man, Google will be knocking down your door.

Always wear protective gear, people.

2006-03-16T22:55:00.002-05:00

Joel Milano from CW just shot this link out to the club (click on the title above), and it looks really painful. Just goes to show that the proper protective gear can save your life in the event of an accident (in this case, a catastrophic frame failure at 95 mph).

I always wear a helmet for every ride, and I insist my kids do the same. I'm not your father, but you should too, regardless if you're going out for 65 miles on a club ride or if you're going around the corner for a gallon of milk. I don't work in a trauma hospital, but I would imagine there are entirely too many injuries and deaths from people stacking while not wearing a helmet, bikes or otherwise. It's the law to wear a seatbelt in a car, and (at least in MD) it's also the law to wear a helmet while motorcycling. Bicycle helmet laws in MD only apply to kids under 16 years old.

At the same time, I must confess some minor libertarian tendencies. If you want to ride a motorcycle without a helmet, fine--just make sure your insurance is up to date, because I don't want to see my tax money go towards a nursing home to support your persistent vegetative state. If you're a reasonably intelligent adult, I think you can make that decision for yourself--modifying behavior with laws has some scary precedents. Just be aware that it could save your life.

Wear it, dude!

The Gwynns Falls Trail

2006-03-14T21:02:00.000-05:00

Finally got the Picasa thing to work, so this post will have some amateurish digital photography along with it.

Took my 21-month-old son for a ride in the trailer on the Gwynns Falls Trail in Baltimore. Started at Leakin Park in the western part of the city on Franklintown Road. Nice start, lots of parking, restrooms, a picnic area, and a wide meadow. The Crimea Estate is nearby, if old houses get your panties in a bunch.

The trail is initially good quality pavement, though it does have a few dips and turns in it. Turns onto an abandoned roadbed up towards Windsor Mill Road. Once you pass Windsor Mill, it's an all gravel roadbed down to Franklintown again (the "Millrace" section), which is alot like the C&O Canal towpath in D.C. or a frequently used jeep road--that is, rough in some sections, smoother in others, but always manageable. I don't recommend road bikes on the trail for this reason--hybrids/cyclocross bikes are ideal. Suspension is overkill, in my opinion--it just isn't that rough.

There is a nice little park after you cross Franklintown; Leon Day Park, with a tot lot and ballfields. Continuing down the trail, you pass by the official "falls" of Gwynns Falls, which are pretty underwhelming, but nice all the same. Once you cross Baltimore Street, the "Ellicott Driveway" section starts, which is another abandoned roadbed. This one runs right through a number of residential areas, and as such is has a lot of litter and broken glass on it. I recommend Kevlar tires/flat protection on whatever you ride. Could be pretty cool, if it were cleaned up a bit.

Cross, then parallel Frederick Road for a bit over a bridge (over the Falls), then cross through a schoolyard to Wilkens Avenue, which you also cross and parallel for a very short section. The trail starts up again in earnest from here, with lots of high, covered bridges criss-crossing CSX railroad tracks through a pretty industrial area. Cross under some other railroad tracks at the Carrollton Viaduct, and the trail comes up alongside Carroll Park Golf Course, near route 95.

The trail then parallels Washington Boulevard for about a mile before coming to Carroll Park. The park has nice, wide, lightly traveled roads and paths throughout. There is a tot lot (which I found covered in litter and broken glass); there is allegedly a skatepark there as well, but I couldn't find it. I decided to turn around and head back here. From this point, the trail consists of bike lanes on surface streets towards the stadium, Inner Harbor, and Federal Hill areas, and also has a spur out to the Cherry Hill/Middle Branch Park areas. I'll ride the whole trail sometime again, just to get a feel for the eastern end of it.

I was impressed with the trail, particularly since it was recently opened and some sections are still being finished (the western terminus, from Leakin Patk out to the Rt. 70 Park and Ride). I look forward to riding it again in the future, especially all the way down to the Inner Harbor area. It doesn't have many amenities like the Capital Crescent Trail in the D.C. area (like shops, restaurants, etc.); perhaps these will come in time. I didn't encounter another cyclist on the trail, and ran across very few pedestrians. I recommend it, but bring your spare tube and a pump, and watch out for glass!

Straight up illin'

2006-03-12T22:29:00.000-05:00

After checking out my e-mail, I found out that some members of my team went down and pre-rode the 60th anniversary criterium course today. Sounds like they had a nice time, did about 40 miles or so, and rode hard. Too bad I've been feeling sick lately--dry cough, generally achy, stuffy nose, etc. Actually, I'm the last in my family to get it--started with my daughter, then on to my son, then my wife, and now me. The boy and I are the only ones still lousy, though he was feeling much better today. Me, not so much.

Got all the yard work accomplished, so I'm free to spin tomorrow while the boy's napping. Also planning to go for a ride with him in the trailer at Gwynns Falls, to check out the trail. We'll stop and have a snack, play on a tot lot, etc. etc. Hopefully I'll be riding this weekend at Walkersville with Terry Harrigan, to scope out the course. Gotta get some sleep so's I can get well. Later.

The heat is on

2006-03-11T22:08:00.000-05:00

No, not the Glenn Frey song from the 80's (though you KNOW it's running through your head right about now). The weather around here (that would be the suburban Baltimore, MD area) has gotten really quite nice--high 60s/low 70s, no rain, a little breezy but otherwise lovely. And my poor road bike, chained as it is to my CycleOps fluid trainer, desperately wants to go outside. Heck, I want to go too, but there's yard work to be done, dammit.

The missus wants to clean up the landscaping we had done last year--everything needs to cut back, pruned, dead-headed (such a lovely term), and fertilized for the spring. In order to accomplish this, someone must watch the kids while the other tends to the landscaping. This sort of yard work is "her thing"--"my thing" pertains mainly to the grass and its care, in addition to any heavy lifting of products/supplies.

There's a whole bunch of rides going out tomorrow, including one from Glenelg HS with a bunch of my boys on it, and I can't go. I might try to go out early tomorrow morning, so that I can get some miles in. Either that or hire a babysitter for a couple hours. The missus isn't very understanding about these things, particularly after she was stuck with the kids my herself for a four-day weekend while I was in Arizona riding the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo last month. Ah, marriage!

Dave Chappelle alters the laws of nature

2006-03-09T21:45:00.000-05:00

I say this because he is my go-to inspiration when I am on the home trainer. I don't really do anything structured right now, just get on and pedal for about 1-2 hours or so a couple of times a week, trying to get an average HR of about 130 or so. The time seems to go much faster when I play the DVDs of his show, which is funny as hell. I'm really looking forward to going to see his movie at some point--I'd really like to see it in the theatre, but we'll see if I have the time.

On the subject of home trainers, I have two words--necessary evil. Right now, it's the only way I can train effectively while still looking after my 21-month-old boy. I usually will train twice a week while he's napping, sometimes in the evening after both kids are in bed. This week was light on training because both kids were sick, and I don't want to put them in the nursery at the gym when they're sick. Plus I was dorking around my neighborhood on my 'cross bike and trying to put the townie bike together (had to go back to Race Pace today, with frame in hand--apparently it's quite the pain in the ass to get the proper front derailleur for the Raleigh. Oversized, low clamp, top pull, mountain 8-9 speed). I'm probably going to get the Workouts in a Binder book from VeloGear.com so that I can actually home train with some sort of purpose. The first race of the season is but a few weeks away!

Ode to Spinning

2006-03-08T22:58:00.000-05:00

I have to give a shout out to my Spinning instructors--Susan and Heather (primarily); Ling, Lynn, and Beverly (occasionally). I've been going to Spin classes for about five months, and I must say I have noticed a huge gain in my early-season form. I try to go at least 2-3 times a week, plus a trainer ride or two each week. If I'm lucky, I'll ride outside once a week these days.

The classes provide a much needed dose of intensity and camaraderie to my riding. With Susan's classes in particular, Spinning classes have gotten me to be more conscious of my exertion, my heartrate, and my breathing than ever before. I scare her from time to time when I tell her what my heartrate maxed at during one of her classes (highest seen so far--193 bpm on "RaceDay" last December), but I'm just grateful for the bits of coaching she gives me. She's great at getting the class to focus and visualize, and is adamant about proper warm-up, cool-down, and stretching.

Certainly props go to the usual gang of riders; Jen Browne (usually w/ super-cute daughter olivia), Mark the photog, Lisa the tri-girl, Lisa Benjamin (the other tri-girl, who incidentally just qualified for the Boston marathon), Christy, Dale, and Judy. I find it interesting that some of the people in class don't even own a bicycle--they only ride in the classes. Outside is much more fun, when the weather cooperates. Looking forward to seventy degrees this Saturday.

Project townie bike

2006-03-07T20:36:00.000-05:00

Currently in the assembly phase, waiting on key parts to make it into a bomber townie/grocery getter/child trailer pullin'/bike path machine.

The frame is a Raleigh M40 aluminum frame of unknown vintage, bought on eBay for about $35. Didn't come with a derailleur hanger, not to mention it was filthy. Waiting on the hanger (which is backordered), frame is now nice and clean. Fork has been ordered on eBay, should arrive any day. Decent quality cro-moly suspension corrected rigid fork.

The parts currently on it is stuff I had around after taking my old Fat City Wicked apart--LX crankset and cassette, sealed Shimano BB (out of the Nishiki Optima/"U.F.O." frame, which was serving as my 'cross bike until the acquisition of the Specialguys S-works), and an unused Syncros seatpost and well-used Selle Italia Turbo saddle in white. Pretty pimp, huh?
The proposed wheelset is also from my Fat, and was built for me by Scott Kinkle, formerly of The Bicycle Place (the shop I used to work for). LX hubs laced to Bontrager Mustang rims in three-cross; they were some of the first rims to be drilled off-center in the rear, to allow for more natural dishing. I plan on putting Nashbar City kevlar tires on them (with inverted tread), as soon as they are shipped along with the other Nashbar stuff. Yes, I know I should patronize my LBS, but this is my beater townie bike, and I'm trying to do it as cheaply as I can.

The residual parts include a set of Tektro Quartz V-brakes and levers, a brand-new Deore front derailleur (as I didn't have any top-pull ones in my spare parts bin), a GripShift left shifter, and a Sachs 8-speed right shifter. Also picked up a set of GS grips today at the LBS, as Nashbar didn't have any. Plus an Incredibell, and obviously a stem of some sort (might have to go back to the LBS to get the proper one).

The Nashbar order will complete the bike--the aforementioned tires, a set of Zefal full fenders, a cheap Ritchey Logic headset, a Bor Yueh rear rack (I assume some cheapo Chinese one, we'll see what it looks like), a 100 mm rise handlebar, and new housing and cables all around. Also a set of folding nylon grocery bag panniers, as it will function as a "grocery-getter". Talk about stylish! Also, this is where the reciever for my Chariot Cougar trailer will permanently reside, so the chilluns can join me for trips to get ice cream this summer.

The only thing I need the LBS for, as far as putting all this together, is for the headset/crown race--everything else I'm doing myself.

Slow ride (take it easy)

2006-03-06T14:36:00.000-05:00

No, not the Foghat song from years back. My ride yesterday was a pleasant meander through the areas of Catonsville, Elkridge, Hancock, and eastern Ellicott City. A nice opportunity to chat with two guys from my club--Mike Fitzsimmons and Kornel Schuebel (whose last name I'm sure I'm misspelling).

I was initially a little perturbed by the lack of pace, but in retrospect I'm grateful for the chance to ride with other people, not mention I shouldn't be killing myself this early in the season, anyway. I have a tendency to ride too hard, especially when I'm riding by myself (which is 90% of the time). I'm slowly learning that riders must have a solid aerobic base before they go out on a crushing ride, and that crushing rides shouldn't happen more that once a week, if at all.

Mike was riding a nice IndyFab Crown Jewel with S&S couplings--it's obviously a well-loved bike with lots of memories, including a trip to Hawaii last year. Kornel was rocking a brand-new Cervelo Soloist Carbon with full Record 10 gruppo and carbon pieces/parts. He came by the bike honestly; that is, State Farm paid for it after he and his Colnago got stacked up with a pickup truck last year. He broke his wrist pretty bad, had to be pinned, but he's still out there riding. I'm happy I've never crashed hard enough to inflict more than road rash on myself, though just typing that statement might mean that my good fortune is now at an end. I guess we'll have to wait and see...if it is, and I do get macked, rest assured there will be pictures posted on this blog in graphic detail (bear in mind, I'm an ER nurse practitioner).

Next--the cyclocross bike

2006-03-06T14:03:00.000-05:00

This thing is super sweet. Got the frame/fork/headset on eBay for a song, got the handlebar there as well, and everything else is pretty much stuff I had lying around.

Again, I had the guys at Joe's Bike Shop put it together. Unlike the Cannondale (with potentially splintering carbon parts), I had them do it so it would be done right the first time. Needed new cables and housing, a new front derailleur, proper stem, and a different size outer chainring.

The rundown:
Frame is Specialized S Works M4 aluminum alloy, fork is Specialized aluminum (made by Kinesis).

Easton EA70 handlebar (44 cm), EA70 stem, Aheadset (1-1/8"), Ultegra STI shift/brake levers, Shimano 105 rear der., Ultegra front der., Ultegra crank (130 BCD) with 45-39 rings and Octalink BB. Brakes are Shimano LX with Jagwire V-length pads. Saddle is Selle Italia Max Flite, or something like that. Seatpost is Bianchi aluminum (from my Bianchi SS bike).

Wheels vary--right now, just Mavic CXP22 (36 hole) on Ultegra hubs with 14 gauge DT spokes. Will probably use the Neuvation wheels from the Cannondale as well.

Tires--the essence of any 'crossers life. I have heard stories of the lengths 'crossers will go to in order to get tires they like. I am not willing to do all that, nor am I willing to run tubulars--I have enough sets of clincher wheels already, thanks you very much. Main tires are Geax Blade 700x33 (ostensibly for rougher courses) and Kenda Kwick 700x 30 (for smoother/faster courses). The only reason I have these currently is because they were cheap when I bought them, not because they work particularly well on a given course. I'd like to have a set of 35-width tires for really rough courses--any wider isn't allowed in UCI events, whose rules some promoters follow and others couldn't give two shits about.

I have heard from Mike Fitzsimmons that there will indeed be a cyclocross race again this year in Leakin park , which I have offered my help to organize. Sounds like and interesting course, and it's close to home, so I'm down.

Next bike profiled will be the Bianchi G.U.S.S. singlespeed mountain bike, but that'll have to wait until I get it back from Scott (AHEM!). Take it easy, everyone!

First up--the road bike

2006-03-05T22:04:00.000-05:00

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This here's a description of my road bike. It's a 2000 Cannondale R2000, about half and half stock and upgraded thus far.
It was a gift to me from my parents for graduating from nursing school almost six years ago. They were initially rather concerned about shelling out about $2000 or so on a BICYCLE--no motor, right? I am still extremely happy with the bike, even more so that I have made some key changes.
Change #1--the wheelset. They looked kinda cool at the time, but they bent every ride. Mavic Open Pro rims laced to "Coda" hubs (which as we all know, were actually Hugi hubs rebadged) with 15 gauge black DT spokes. Radial front, radial non-drive two-cross driveside rear. The specs don't mix well with a Clydesdale rider who doesn't ride light and likes to sprint. Upgraded to a set of Mavic Cosmic Equipes, which are still going strong (though the rear rim had to be replaced due to cracks at the nipple holes). I had a buddy relace the original wheels with 14 gauge DT spokes in 3-cross front and rear--this helped a little, but not enough to keep them around, as they were still pretty bendy. They were sold on eBay to a (hopefully lightweight) dude in New Mexico. Also have a set of Neuvation M 28 Aeros, which are super wheels for a great price.

Change #2--Position. This was dealt with partially in a previous post, but I will add more detail here. Thanks the the eponymous Joe of Joe's bike shop, I came to find out that I was positioned all wrong on the bike. I was too far behind the cranks, my stem was too low yet not long enough. Replaced the Thompson layback seatpost with an Easton carbon straight post, swapped the stem (Easton again, though EA70), and put on an FSA K-wing bar. The back/neck pain I was having is now gone, I ride more powerfully, and my steering feel is much improved. Just goes to show you how much professional bike fitting can help you. If you have pain when you ride (besides in your legs, obviously), go get fitted. Heck, go get fitted even if you don't have pain--you may become more efficient.
Change #3--saddle. The Coda saddle wasn't cutting it, and the Selle Italia Max Flite (or something like that) was just as uncomfortable. Current is a Specialized Alias 143, which comes in various widths for various bootys (booties?).

Change #4--crankset/bottom bracket. This is an new piece, installed by the fine staff at Joe's along with the handlebar and stem. FSA SL-K with MegaExo BB. Really stiff, pretty blingy, though it squeaks a bit. I've only ridden it twice, so maybe the O-rings need to settle in.
Other stuff--Speedplay pedals, Bontrager HardCase tires for training, Vittoria Open Corsa CX tires for racing. The rest of the mechanicals are Ultegra, which continues to work great. Stock headset (Cane Creek C2).
It ain't the lightest bike in the world, but I love it. It felt superlight when I first got it (especially compared to the 30 lb. bike I was riding at the time), but it has started to feel heavy lately. It doesn't feel heavy when I ride it, though. It feels fast and stiff. Looking forward to some criteriums this year on it, plus a road race or two.

Where the pix at?

2006-03-02T23:09:00.000-05:00

I'm not totally stupid, you know. I am aware that people love to look at pictures, not just read words, witty though those words may be. In deference to this idea, I will be putting up pictures of my bikes in the near future, with a detailed post for each.

I'll have to start with the Cannondale, as it's the only one currently in the house. The Specialized 'cross bike is waiting for me to pick it up at Joe's Bike Shop, and the Bianchi SS is probably still in Scott's living room in Tucson (ahem). I'm also in the process of building up a townie out of a beater Raleigh M40 frame and assorted parts, but we'll see if that bike warrants further reference inside these hallowed halls.

Check back manana, there'll be more. Later.

New position

2006-03-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

So I actually got out for a real, honest-to-God outdoor ride yesterday. Anyone who has kids knows that these are few and far between. Rode about 25 miles or so after getting my bike back from Joe's Bike Shop.

New bling on the bike--FSA K-wing bar, new Easton stem in a longer but higher position, Easton carbon seatpost, and FSA SL-K composite cranks with the MegaExo external bearings. I worked in a shop a long time ago and have some mechanical skill, but I don't have the proper tools to affix carbon parts to my bike (i.e. a torque wrench). Not to mention that I couldn't get the old bottom bracket out of my Cannondale. So yes, I had to take the bike to the shop. They do a good job, so it's worth it.

Anyway, riding the bike was great. The position was much more comfortable--didn't have any back pain, and the steering felt nice and snappy. The bar is wonderful--very comfortable, lots of little molded portions to cradle your hands, stiff but not chattery. The cranks were very stiff, much more so than the Ultegra cranks before. At least it felt that way on this particular ride--as I noted before, I mostly ride this bike on a home trainer right now.

I have to get outside and ride more, though. At first I felt great, riding fast and strong. At the 1:25 mark or so, I slowed down quite a bit. Granted, this was a persistent uphill section with a headwind on a potholed road, but I was certainly feeling it. Goes to show what a winter of home trainer rides and Spinning classes will do for you. Apparently, there's no substitute for putting in the miles. But hey, it's still early in the season, right?

Walkersville is 30 days and counting, so I've gotta represent. Once I take my big 'ol test Saturday, things will be much better. Might get out for a ride tomorrow as well--we'll have to see.

And the point of this is...?

2006-02-28T23:50:00.000-05:00

Now that I've actually posted a couple of messages on my friends blog , I figured I'd dive headfirst into the world of weblogging. Not that I have a great deal to say or anything. Well, no more or less than anyone else, I guess.

The focus of this blog is my experiences on the road to bicycle racing in the Mid-Atlantic area. I have a bit of experience racing road and mountain events about ten years ago with my first college team, Bucknell University cycling . I also raced a cyclocross race last year, and just finished up the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo in Tucson, AZ a week and a half ago. I have joined a local club/team, the Chesapeake Wheelmen , in the hopes of gaining some pointers from some veterans of the local scene as well as a consistent group of riding buddies.

I have already signed up to compete in the Tour of Walkersville (4/1), and I plan on doing a few other road events this spring and summer. This year, my real focus will be on doing well in the cyclocross season, for two reasons--one, the events are short and intense, and two, it gives me more time to get in competitive shape. A list of potential road events I'd like to compete in:

Carl Dolan Classic (4/23)
Bethesda Grand Prix Criterium (5/28)
Chesapeake Wheelmen Criterium (6/2)
Solarex or Silver Spring Criterium (6/18)
Giro di Coppi (7/22)
BikeJam (beats me)

After that, the 'cross season really kicks into full gear. The point is the get used to pack riding at pace again, not to mention having set events to do well in. My current training is pretty much all indoors--home trainer rides and Spinning classes twice a week. Looking forward to a short spin outside tomorrow, if the weather agrees. Thanks for looking, by the way.