With a little ride on Saturday morning.
For some reason after taking the long way home Friday night to avoid the headwind (I need to do that a lot more often but pick a different set of roads, Lincoln and County are WAAAAAAY to busy). And already nearly doubling my weekly mileage I felt the need to ride in the morning.
Actually Derdowski was the one who suggested it. 7am start? Sure, sound good.
Oh.
Wait.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
1992-2002 in music... nice and funky
Yeah here ya go - hat tip to the one and only RTK nice mix, would be nicer blasting from a boom box being outside instead of hiding in a basement w/o windows...
minor tweaking
to the sidebar stuff.
Since EngVT saved cyclocross we've gotta give them top billing, also probably should since I'm racing for them, and have the kit and wear it on sort of random occasions (like riding to boston).
Another change is our old friend Murat has switched up the name of the online shop, you'll see the big shot links and there WeeBikeShop.com check it out, buy stuff, you know...
And if you're in the 5'4" range and looking for bike stuff, (or know someone who is) Starr Walker is moving to Portland OR. Has a pile of stuff for sale (smaller as each day goes by). Buy it, offer her more than she is asking because she's not asking enough.
I keep thinking about trailers and how to get the big logs home, but haven't figured out a solution yet. Meanwhile it looks like someone has tried to cut the biggest Locust. from the looks of it their chainsaw was DULL because that locust was rubbed in the few spots. Maybe their rakers were too high but just looks dull. No shit that stuff is tough and dense. Those one wheel trailers are pretty nice and if not for the cargo size limitation the the Maya would be awesome. Heck it would still be pretty damn nice to have. Esp with the build in stand that holds the bike up right too. Would solve a lot of problems parking.
That said another option popped up, but to make this one perfect for me I'd love to see an extendable hitch, something say if I found a 6' section of something I could load and center on the axle and still attach it to the bike without creating a negative tongue weight. Granted it probably wound't take much to re-engineer and tweak my existing trailer to do that.
Random thoughts from stuff.
Oh and strava.
For all of a few minutes this morning I contemplated flagging or not flagging segments on the bike path. Segment speeds in the 25+ range on my bike path that is heavily populated by all manner of users, not just bikes, esp when the segments crossed streets and went through stop signs... well. I had to flag. I guess someone will probably make a new segment and it will start over again. I should just not care but they are actually in a few hazardous locations. Go do KOM runs on Pine or Hillside or some road that you can ride balls out on w/o risking running anyone else over. The bike path is not for training (except for me duh, but you know my training program, it isn't easily messed up by spending an extra 30-60 seconds slowing down to pass someone safely).
There are a few other random thoughts floating around to get out. Not sure if they will. or not.
Pollan's new book: Cooked. Still sounds like a good book. I need to get my hands on a copy at some point...
So yeah that wraps it up i guess - i dunno,
not feeling the flow... stupid wind is pushing towards 20mph, as a headwind, for the ride home. Must be warm out. Wind just gets sucked right in towards the city. Hmm. I suppose a long way home could be arranged to avoid the headwind.
I wonder if I can coerce any one to join in a long ride home tonight. Just to avoid the headwind on the bike path.
minor tweaking... carrying on... make it happen... do your best... focus on the good that you can do...
heddwch
G
Since EngVT saved cyclocross we've gotta give them top billing, also probably should since I'm racing for them, and have the kit and wear it on sort of random occasions (like riding to boston).
Another change is our old friend Murat has switched up the name of the online shop, you'll see the big shot links and there WeeBikeShop.com check it out, buy stuff, you know...
And if you're in the 5'4" range and looking for bike stuff, (or know someone who is) Starr Walker is moving to Portland OR. Has a pile of stuff for sale (smaller as each day goes by). Buy it, offer her more than she is asking because she's not asking enough.
I keep thinking about trailers and how to get the big logs home, but haven't figured out a solution yet. Meanwhile it looks like someone has tried to cut the biggest Locust. from the looks of it their chainsaw was DULL because that locust was rubbed in the few spots. Maybe their rakers were too high but just looks dull. No shit that stuff is tough and dense. Those one wheel trailers are pretty nice and if not for the cargo size limitation the the Maya would be awesome. Heck it would still be pretty damn nice to have. Esp with the build in stand that holds the bike up right too. Would solve a lot of problems parking.
That said another option popped up, but to make this one perfect for me I'd love to see an extendable hitch, something say if I found a 6' section of something I could load and center on the axle and still attach it to the bike without creating a negative tongue weight. Granted it probably wound't take much to re-engineer and tweak my existing trailer to do that.
Random thoughts from stuff.
Oh and strava.
For all of a few minutes this morning I contemplated flagging or not flagging segments on the bike path. Segment speeds in the 25+ range on my bike path that is heavily populated by all manner of users, not just bikes, esp when the segments crossed streets and went through stop signs... well. I had to flag. I guess someone will probably make a new segment and it will start over again. I should just not care but they are actually in a few hazardous locations. Go do KOM runs on Pine or Hillside or some road that you can ride balls out on w/o risking running anyone else over. The bike path is not for training (except for me duh, but you know my training program, it isn't easily messed up by spending an extra 30-60 seconds slowing down to pass someone safely).
There are a few other random thoughts floating around to get out. Not sure if they will. or not.
Pollan's new book: Cooked. Still sounds like a good book. I need to get my hands on a copy at some point...
So yeah that wraps it up i guess - i dunno,
not feeling the flow... stupid wind is pushing towards 20mph, as a headwind, for the ride home. Must be warm out. Wind just gets sucked right in towards the city. Hmm. I suppose a long way home could be arranged to avoid the headwind.
I wonder if I can coerce any one to join in a long ride home tonight. Just to avoid the headwind on the bike path.
minor tweaking... carrying on... make it happen... do your best... focus on the good that you can do...
heddwch
G
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
bloused on pine
Smackdown tonight.
Big crew showed up. Tyler, this guy, he's not sort of like fast, he's like ex-pro kind of fast. He rides like it too. Mystery man named Tyler. He sort of attacked on Pine and no one ever saw him again.
Getting ahead of myself as usual. Out of order williams.
Spolier: I am not completely recovered from the ride on Monday.
Roll out, nice and warm, winds are 30+ down on the water and plenty high enough inland. Got brief warm up loop in with Syl, found Dr Watts... rolled into the circle. David was waiting, he's pretty new, won the ECCC Intro crit on Sunday, and most of the rest of the regulars. Another race winner from Sunday was there, Becca. She pulled the Women's C field around for 75% of the race according to the stories. I guess at one point on sunday after puling for a long time she sat up and "bitches wouldn't pass me" so she drilled it. And still wound up winning the sprint.
Big Tom B who was in the 70 mile breakaway in the Men's A race on Saturday and finished 2nd didn't show up, no Kyle either. But Brier was there, Peng... who else, fox, but notably and finally Derdowski showed up. So good to have him there. I miss riding with him.
We roll out. I'm trying to drift to the back but i could have used Becca's line "bitches wouldn't pass me" wanted to catch up with big D for a bit, he suggested his lack of riding would be evident about 15 min into the ride. Peng wound it up uncontested for the state line (cars parked and i was trying to save what little i had in my legs).
We regrouped there on Woodward and started motoring. I kind of drifted back, encouraged David to stay a bit tighter in the draft so he wasn't working so hard. and floated around a bit. Dr Watts was driving at a decent pace, and took us onto the turn into the wind on Prospect. He pulled off and Tyler took the lead, and was a damn metronome into the wind. Slightly up hill, chip n'seal surface. It sucks the power out of your legs. We were strung out but everyone was in contact. Syl wasn't much of a draft in front of me but it was better than being in the front.
We make the left, and Fox or Brier or someone drills it, I've drifted back to check on Derdowski and well shit we've got a good gap. Becca is on my wheel and I come around derdowski and start hammering down the hill. Me. Having to hammer to close the gap on a downhill? Fuck those assholes. They were flying. Ah well. Mission now is to bring Derdowski and Becca back to the group before Pine. Flat fucking out, checking the shadow, they're both there. Motor. Make the turn, and get in contact, phew.
Oh Shit
someone accelerates and there's a gap and I can't close it.
I put my head back down and check the shadow, i've got one, no two for now. And they all slowly inch by inch get away from me. At first it is only 2-3 seconds but ever so slightly they are inching away and it doesn't feel like i have a tail wind.
I must have said something and Becca responded sounding fresh and relaxed so I ask her to pull for a minute, I think derdowski had dropped off by now, and then we hit the slight downhill before salisbury and I take the chase up and Becca sits in.
And then at some point she came back around and said "it is down hill, no problem" and I said well go get them. And she went.
And dropped me.
She was wearing this not quite hi-viz green convertible vest jacket thing, Not freddly green, but visible and easy to see. And I couldn't hang on her wheel.
Derdowski was way back. I caught David on the final up to the top of Pine and told him to get on my wheel and I just started cranking out as hard as I could. Fucking threshold work. Probably good for me but I'm getting kind of tired of riding alone on the smack downs. I'm getting a fucking good bit of work. And I could feel it though. The legs were just not quite recovered from Monday's 111 mile solo windy jaunt to Boston and back. Ah well. Nothing to do about it. Head down. Motor.
David dropped off my wheel sometime before Walker/Read and when I turned on to Homestead I could barely see Becca ahead of me. I guess she is/was a triathlete and this whole time trial thing isn't new to her. She's not really terribly slow. Also has fantastic positioning, just looks right and comfortable pedaling, you know what i mean, this isn't a gender thing - this is an observation of an individual that just looks right on their bike. So I've got this carrot now.
She's got the guys in front. And I pass an old wheel man on a old green metalic flake cannondale road bike going the other direction and he shouts "Those guys were REALLY FLYING" he was impressed. Here I am chasing the chase. I make up ground on Becca as we turn on to Rocky Hill but oh fuck did that little rise hurt.
Shit. Well maybe I can catch her before the top and I can try out the short cut i heard about last week.
I get close, but no dice. She drops down the back side just as I'm hitting the first of the telephone poles.
I'm resigned to doing all of Hillside I guess.
By this time she's lost sight of the group, Tyler's just flat out left everyone so it was a decently select group of people who are really training and riding well right now (unlike, me but I'm finally trying and feeling okay about sucking for the moment).
I roll back up and she isn't sure about the route. Right here. Okay good, and she's just cranking along and I'm trying to get a tiniest measure of recovery sitting on her wheel going into Hillside.
And up it goes. Hillside is a stepped climb, about 5 min in total iirc (I could look but fuck it, close enough). Normally if I make it in the group to the base I get popped at the first steep section. We rode it together. Drilled it on the slight down and I just gritted my teeth and had to try and show off and made it to the top first. I'm a jerk, or i'm just trying to maximize my workout. Meh.
Anwyay no one. they are gone. Damnit.
But as we crest the top of Pine again there's a dark figure up there, hmmm oh hey must be brier in his black vest. Motor time.
Drilling it, taking turns. Make the left onto Walker/Read. This is my section. slight down hill. all watts, it is fast. if you aren't in my draft good luck.
Becca starts off and I'm just coasting behind and I kinda wanna catch them so I roll up past and she says "show off" no, not showing off, I want to catch SOMEONE.
And I start drilling it. and look back and she's way back off the wheel. "stay in the draft" "i'm not used to riding in the draft" "well it is time to learn, now get on my wheel we've got people to catch" I dial it back to about 80% and she's hanging in there and we're reeling him back.
Dialing it back means I haven't blown up by the time I hit Wheeler school fields. And I keep making pace and checking the shadow until we get back to 152, we get there just as Brier crosses but not in time to play frogger and keep up. Next gap, we go, turn on to West and we can see the guys sitting up relaxing and Becca takes up the final chase and we catch em as we cross the reservoir bridge and gather at the light there.
Oof.
So then I peel off and head south solo. A nice welcoming still 30+ mph headwind all the way home.
Legs are through the wringer. So tired. time to try and let the body repair the damage and come back a bit stronger maybe next week.
Feels great to be on the bike. Working as hard as I can, what ever that means, is enough and is immensely satisfying.
More food. Gonna shovel another bowl of food in my belly if I can stay awake long enough and can find the energy to chew and swallow.
heddwch
G
Big crew showed up. Tyler, this guy, he's not sort of like fast, he's like ex-pro kind of fast. He rides like it too. Mystery man named Tyler. He sort of attacked on Pine and no one ever saw him again.
Getting ahead of myself as usual. Out of order williams.
Spolier: I am not completely recovered from the ride on Monday.
Roll out, nice and warm, winds are 30+ down on the water and plenty high enough inland. Got brief warm up loop in with Syl, found Dr Watts... rolled into the circle. David was waiting, he's pretty new, won the ECCC Intro crit on Sunday, and most of the rest of the regulars. Another race winner from Sunday was there, Becca. She pulled the Women's C field around for 75% of the race according to the stories. I guess at one point on sunday after puling for a long time she sat up and "bitches wouldn't pass me" so she drilled it. And still wound up winning the sprint.
Big Tom B who was in the 70 mile breakaway in the Men's A race on Saturday and finished 2nd didn't show up, no Kyle either. But Brier was there, Peng... who else, fox, but notably and finally Derdowski showed up. So good to have him there. I miss riding with him.
We roll out. I'm trying to drift to the back but i could have used Becca's line "bitches wouldn't pass me" wanted to catch up with big D for a bit, he suggested his lack of riding would be evident about 15 min into the ride. Peng wound it up uncontested for the state line (cars parked and i was trying to save what little i had in my legs).
We regrouped there on Woodward and started motoring. I kind of drifted back, encouraged David to stay a bit tighter in the draft so he wasn't working so hard. and floated around a bit. Dr Watts was driving at a decent pace, and took us onto the turn into the wind on Prospect. He pulled off and Tyler took the lead, and was a damn metronome into the wind. Slightly up hill, chip n'seal surface. It sucks the power out of your legs. We were strung out but everyone was in contact. Syl wasn't much of a draft in front of me but it was better than being in the front.
We make the left, and Fox or Brier or someone drills it, I've drifted back to check on Derdowski and well shit we've got a good gap. Becca is on my wheel and I come around derdowski and start hammering down the hill. Me. Having to hammer to close the gap on a downhill? Fuck those assholes. They were flying. Ah well. Mission now is to bring Derdowski and Becca back to the group before Pine. Flat fucking out, checking the shadow, they're both there. Motor. Make the turn, and get in contact, phew.
Oh Shit
someone accelerates and there's a gap and I can't close it.
I put my head back down and check the shadow, i've got one, no two for now. And they all slowly inch by inch get away from me. At first it is only 2-3 seconds but ever so slightly they are inching away and it doesn't feel like i have a tail wind.
I must have said something and Becca responded sounding fresh and relaxed so I ask her to pull for a minute, I think derdowski had dropped off by now, and then we hit the slight downhill before salisbury and I take the chase up and Becca sits in.
And then at some point she came back around and said "it is down hill, no problem" and I said well go get them. And she went.
And dropped me.
She was wearing this not quite hi-viz green convertible vest jacket thing, Not freddly green, but visible and easy to see. And I couldn't hang on her wheel.
Derdowski was way back. I caught David on the final up to the top of Pine and told him to get on my wheel and I just started cranking out as hard as I could. Fucking threshold work. Probably good for me but I'm getting kind of tired of riding alone on the smack downs. I'm getting a fucking good bit of work. And I could feel it though. The legs were just not quite recovered from Monday's 111 mile solo windy jaunt to Boston and back. Ah well. Nothing to do about it. Head down. Motor.
David dropped off my wheel sometime before Walker/Read and when I turned on to Homestead I could barely see Becca ahead of me. I guess she is/was a triathlete and this whole time trial thing isn't new to her. She's not really terribly slow. Also has fantastic positioning, just looks right and comfortable pedaling, you know what i mean, this isn't a gender thing - this is an observation of an individual that just looks right on their bike. So I've got this carrot now.
She's got the guys in front. And I pass an old wheel man on a old green metalic flake cannondale road bike going the other direction and he shouts "Those guys were REALLY FLYING" he was impressed. Here I am chasing the chase. I make up ground on Becca as we turn on to Rocky Hill but oh fuck did that little rise hurt.
Shit. Well maybe I can catch her before the top and I can try out the short cut i heard about last week.
I get close, but no dice. She drops down the back side just as I'm hitting the first of the telephone poles.
I'm resigned to doing all of Hillside I guess.
By this time she's lost sight of the group, Tyler's just flat out left everyone so it was a decently select group of people who are really training and riding well right now (unlike, me but I'm finally trying and feeling okay about sucking for the moment).
I roll back up and she isn't sure about the route. Right here. Okay good, and she's just cranking along and I'm trying to get a tiniest measure of recovery sitting on her wheel going into Hillside.
And up it goes. Hillside is a stepped climb, about 5 min in total iirc (I could look but fuck it, close enough). Normally if I make it in the group to the base I get popped at the first steep section. We rode it together. Drilled it on the slight down and I just gritted my teeth and had to try and show off and made it to the top first. I'm a jerk, or i'm just trying to maximize my workout. Meh.
Anwyay no one. they are gone. Damnit.
But as we crest the top of Pine again there's a dark figure up there, hmmm oh hey must be brier in his black vest. Motor time.
Drilling it, taking turns. Make the left onto Walker/Read. This is my section. slight down hill. all watts, it is fast. if you aren't in my draft good luck.
Becca starts off and I'm just coasting behind and I kinda wanna catch them so I roll up past and she says "show off" no, not showing off, I want to catch SOMEONE.
And I start drilling it. and look back and she's way back off the wheel. "stay in the draft" "i'm not used to riding in the draft" "well it is time to learn, now get on my wheel we've got people to catch" I dial it back to about 80% and she's hanging in there and we're reeling him back.
Dialing it back means I haven't blown up by the time I hit Wheeler school fields. And I keep making pace and checking the shadow until we get back to 152, we get there just as Brier crosses but not in time to play frogger and keep up. Next gap, we go, turn on to West and we can see the guys sitting up relaxing and Becca takes up the final chase and we catch em as we cross the reservoir bridge and gather at the light there.
Oof.
So then I peel off and head south solo. A nice welcoming still 30+ mph headwind all the way home.
Legs are through the wringer. So tired. time to try and let the body repair the damage and come back a bit stronger maybe next week.
Feels great to be on the bike. Working as hard as I can, what ever that means, is enough and is immensely satisfying.
More food. Gonna shovel another bowl of food in my belly if I can stay awake long enough and can find the energy to chew and swallow.
heddwch
G
wed night smackdown
we will see how the legs fair after monday, and who shows up tonight... (5pm waterman grille/circle)
this 44°F and headwind 20+mph or so was a fun way to start the day...
at least it is forecast to hit 66°F later
the wind on days like today are all too common
this 44°F and headwind 20+mph or so was a fun way to start the day...
at least it is forecast to hit 66°F later
the wind on days like today are all too common
 |
| actual |
 |
| predicted |
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
FINALLY... finally
Cliff notes version of yesterday:
Made it.March April Cookie ride, complete. 16 cookies GeWillis consumed.
56 miles up there, watched Matts Dissertation defense at Hahvahd, headed right back home (slightly different route at 55.4). First long ride since oh... August. Was worried i would be late. More or less headwind up there and I just pushed as much as I could. Left me kind of cooked for the ride home. Wore backpack so I could carry the lock (and all the cookies). It worked.
Left the house around 7:45. Home at 5:15. Ain't no land speed record, but given the wind, riding solo, and all the damn stoplights and traffic, no worries, ain't got no pride staked on some avg speed number. Today was about doing it. About saddle time.
Without Matt's defense it probably wouldn't have happened, and I'm so grateful to have had the chance to spend the day on the bike.
Heading down my bikepath on the home stretch (brutal crosswind at that point) Ode To Joy was what my brain cued on the music track. No, nothing plugged into my ears. Also, while I did record it on Strava, I did it blind, phone in pocket, no bike computer. The ride was what it was, and it was good.
Full winded?
Made it.
56 miles up there, watched Matts Dissertation defense at Hahvahd, headed right back home (slightly different route at 55.4). First long ride since oh... August. Was worried i would be late. More or less headwind up there and I just pushed as much as I could. Left me kind of cooked for the ride home. Wore backpack so I could carry the lock (and all the cookies). It worked.
Left the house around 7:45. Home at 5:15. Ain't no land speed record, but given the wind, riding solo, and all the damn stoplights and traffic, no worries, ain't got no pride staked on some avg speed number. Today was about doing it. About saddle time.
Without Matt's defense it probably wouldn't have happened, and I'm so grateful to have had the chance to spend the day on the bike.
Heading down my bikepath on the home stretch (brutal crosswind at that point) Ode To Joy was what my brain cued on the music track. No, nothing plugged into my ears. Also, while I did record it on Strava, I did it blind, phone in pocket, no bike computer. The ride was what it was, and it was good.
Full winded?
Friday, April 19, 2013
trivial complaining
figure i'll do it here because I have the least reach of all the outlets, and while trivial and dumb, it still has me a tiny big cranky.
Pollan has written a new book. Cooked. The reviews are encouraging, and definitely make me want to read it.
I've read a bit on the kindle app for the work tablet, and the browser, we have a K Fire at home that the youngest seems to have commandeered, so when i see a book I want to read, I think, damn! Kindle edition, awesome, instant gratification (okay besides the point that this book won't be released until the 23rd instant).
Except usually I see that the edition made of electrons and binary code is only a few dollars cheaper if that than the dead tree edition.
Electronic stuff is nice, and when we had the big snow storm and i had a fully charged tablet I could read lots of SciFi books (free editions) at night w/o using other lighting. Was awesome.
Except those were free books. This one is not.
And I want to read it.
But if it is only going to be a dollar or two more for a physical book? I'm going to get the physical book. I still like books.
Reading is nice. Kindle's are great and all that but they ain't a book, and if you as a publisher are going to skip the whole printing process, you better pass on more than a $2 discount over the print one with pages I can turn.
meanwhile we have stuff happening about 45 min north of here that is not something we deal with regularly.
that kind of sums it up
Good luck Boston. You got this.
Pollan has written a new book. Cooked. The reviews are encouraging, and definitely make me want to read it.
I've read a bit on the kindle app for the work tablet, and the browser, we have a K Fire at home that the youngest seems to have commandeered, so when i see a book I want to read, I think, damn! Kindle edition, awesome, instant gratification (okay besides the point that this book won't be released until the 23rd instant).
Except usually I see that the edition made of electrons and binary code is only a few dollars cheaper if that than the dead tree edition.
Electronic stuff is nice, and when we had the big snow storm and i had a fully charged tablet I could read lots of SciFi books (free editions) at night w/o using other lighting. Was awesome.
Except those were free books. This one is not.
And I want to read it.
But if it is only going to be a dollar or two more for a physical book? I'm going to get the physical book. I still like books.
Reading is nice. Kindle's are great and all that but they ain't a book, and if you as a publisher are going to skip the whole printing process, you better pass on more than a $2 discount over the print one with pages I can turn.
meanwhile we have stuff happening about 45 min north of here that is not something we deal with regularly.
Boston is probably the only major city that if you fuck with them, they will shut down the whole city...stop everything.. and find you.
that kind of sums it up
Good luck Boston. You got this.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
So Calm this morning
Was pedaling super slowly, no trailer, just me. My thoughts.
Mark rolled up and I upped the pace a few mph to match, but tried to keep it zone 1. Not easy but worth the trade off.
Just a gorgeous morning. Rolling along in the little ring on the White Blue.
Hit the wide open causeway there by the Watchemoket Cove and had to document it.
A few shots.
cropped a touch to try and level the horizon out. But just a stunning morning on the bike.
Mark rolled up and I upped the pace a few mph to match, but tried to keep it zone 1. Not easy but worth the trade off.
Just a gorgeous morning. Rolling along in the little ring on the White Blue.
Hit the wide open causeway there by the Watchemoket Cove and had to document it.
A few shots.
cropped a touch to try and level the horizon out. But just a stunning morning on the bike.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
not so smacked down this week
I titled the strava upload, "survived" because that's what I did.
Maybe it was the absence of big Tom and Peng were maybe a contributor to the surviving, but we weren't going that slowly, fastest loop in a while. Tyler showed up last week and matched Andrew and Tom and Peng blow for blow (Andrew just finished 2nd in one of the Cat 5 fields at Battenkill) and was here today.
We rolled out with a crew of 8. pretty good showing, not the biggest but a good number and everyone was pretty solid. Big Greve showed even. Whitely too, still wearing the scars of being taking out a couple weeks ago in a race.
No Brier this week, odd, he hasn't missed one yet. Well we rolled out and rode.
Strung out and hanging on. I tried to shirck the pace setting duties but got caught up in them a bit a few times and then wound up setting pace up Pine for a while, even took the first sprint there on Pine at the Salisbury sign uncontested. Greves pimped me for the Pine climb points but we worked together to bridge back up to Fox and Tyler who were absolutely on FIRE. Homestead and down... Rocky hill we rolled around, Tyler pulled off with just under a km to go before the sprint line leaving Kyle setting pace, Geve and Matt were sitting on Kyle's wheel.
Matt jumped first. Then Greve, I matched and then shot around Greve to grab the sprint points! YES! Felt good but the downhill no pedaling after that and when we started going on Danford, damn it was painful. Tyler went ballistic and we just drilled it all the way to River. I tried to maintain that pace he set but only succeeded in blowing up just as we hit the turn onto Hillside.
I could barely keep Greve and Syl in sight. Tyler, Fox, Matt and Kyle were gone. Like different zipcode. I managed to stay close enough to greve to dig deep and pass him and get to the top before he got there, and was surprised to see the rest of the group not that far off. We regrouped minus Syl and David, on Read, but Fox and Tyler were dumping the watts on the downhill there and it took all of us fat boys dumping watts to catch them and even then it wasn't easy. Those two were motoring.
Heading back on Walker I actually didn't feel terrible and managed to bridge back up almost.
In the end it was good. My lungs and sinuses are still full, it sucks. Not better yet. And I ate too much too late in the day and not enough water to counter the amount of salt in the food, but it wasn't terrible, i've made worse food timing choices on some of the smackdowns in the past.
Of course the wind turned around and that bitching headwind from the morning was a brutal headwind on the way home.
Oh well.
At least I got to ride along the water and just soft pedal home.
Surviving the ride didn't suck so bad.
heddwch
g
Maybe it was the absence of big Tom and Peng were maybe a contributor to the surviving, but we weren't going that slowly, fastest loop in a while. Tyler showed up last week and matched Andrew and Tom and Peng blow for blow (Andrew just finished 2nd in one of the Cat 5 fields at Battenkill) and was here today.
We rolled out with a crew of 8. pretty good showing, not the biggest but a good number and everyone was pretty solid. Big Greve showed even. Whitely too, still wearing the scars of being taking out a couple weeks ago in a race.
No Brier this week, odd, he hasn't missed one yet. Well we rolled out and rode.
Strung out and hanging on. I tried to shirck the pace setting duties but got caught up in them a bit a few times and then wound up setting pace up Pine for a while, even took the first sprint there on Pine at the Salisbury sign uncontested. Greves pimped me for the Pine climb points but we worked together to bridge back up to Fox and Tyler who were absolutely on FIRE. Homestead and down... Rocky hill we rolled around, Tyler pulled off with just under a km to go before the sprint line leaving Kyle setting pace, Geve and Matt were sitting on Kyle's wheel.
Matt jumped first. Then Greve, I matched and then shot around Greve to grab the sprint points! YES! Felt good but the downhill no pedaling after that and when we started going on Danford, damn it was painful. Tyler went ballistic and we just drilled it all the way to River. I tried to maintain that pace he set but only succeeded in blowing up just as we hit the turn onto Hillside.
I could barely keep Greve and Syl in sight. Tyler, Fox, Matt and Kyle were gone. Like different zipcode. I managed to stay close enough to greve to dig deep and pass him and get to the top before he got there, and was surprised to see the rest of the group not that far off. We regrouped minus Syl and David, on Read, but Fox and Tyler were dumping the watts on the downhill there and it took all of us fat boys dumping watts to catch them and even then it wasn't easy. Those two were motoring.
Heading back on Walker I actually didn't feel terrible and managed to bridge back up almost.
In the end it was good. My lungs and sinuses are still full, it sucks. Not better yet. And I ate too much too late in the day and not enough water to counter the amount of salt in the food, but it wasn't terrible, i've made worse food timing choices on some of the smackdowns in the past.
Of course the wind turned around and that bitching headwind from the morning was a brutal headwind on the way home.
Oh well.
At least I got to ride along the water and just soft pedal home.
Surviving the ride didn't suck so bad.
heddwch
g
Stopping to help
On the way in this morning, late, after a leisurely breakfast and coffee with my parents who are in town today, I bombed up the hill to the Parkway and just as I was getting to the old East Providence Terminal road, Steven was walking along with a flat tire.
Said something about "flat tire eh?" as I said that I realized it was a bolt on rear 700c schrader road bike with bontrager tires on a cheap aluminum Schwinn road bike.
I've passed/seen Steven on the path before, maybe once or twice and usually our rates of speed are quite different.
So, #1 i don't carry a 15mm wrench with me (i could have helped Michael when he had the flat on his fixed gear if i did, maybe need to put the Park BB bolt wrench in the bag now), two well that kind of leads us stuck.
BUT
I have started riding with an un-opened bottle of Stan's and a nice schwalbe valve core remover. Now I didn't see any puncture evidence so it was probably a pinch flat. not ideal.
So I offered to put some in and see it if would get him to work. I took the valve out, put most of the 2oz bottle in there, spun it around. Used his pump to fill the tire. It was leaking around the valve stem. damn.
Rolled it around a bit more it stopped leaking. Added air, it started leaking, rolled it around, stopped. Repeated until we had rideable pressure in there and it wasn't leaking. Spend maybe 8 minutes futzing with it before I wished him good luck and headed off on the rest of the way in. He had enough air at that moment but I didn't stick around.
Hoping it got him where he needed to go.
Smack down tonight. We'll see if eating Indian food with my kids and my parents proves to be a good idea or not.
heddwch
G
Said something about "flat tire eh?" as I said that I realized it was a bolt on rear 700c schrader road bike with bontrager tires on a cheap aluminum Schwinn road bike.
I've passed/seen Steven on the path before, maybe once or twice and usually our rates of speed are quite different.
So, #1 i don't carry a 15mm wrench with me (i could have helped Michael when he had the flat on his fixed gear if i did, maybe need to put the Park BB bolt wrench in the bag now), two well that kind of leads us stuck.
BUT
I have started riding with an un-opened bottle of Stan's and a nice schwalbe valve core remover. Now I didn't see any puncture evidence so it was probably a pinch flat. not ideal.
So I offered to put some in and see it if would get him to work. I took the valve out, put most of the 2oz bottle in there, spun it around. Used his pump to fill the tire. It was leaking around the valve stem. damn.
Rolled it around a bit more it stopped leaking. Added air, it started leaking, rolled it around, stopped. Repeated until we had rideable pressure in there and it wasn't leaking. Spend maybe 8 minutes futzing with it before I wished him good luck and headed off on the rest of the way in. He had enough air at that moment but I didn't stick around.
Hoping it got him where he needed to go.
Smack down tonight. We'll see if eating Indian food with my kids and my parents proves to be a good idea or not.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
as a post script...
you should read this: http://mungerruns.blogspot.com/2013/04/in-praise-of-boston.html
Boston, thanks for being Boston.
Boston, thanks for being Boston.
words will never...
full encapsulate emotions, but they can get pretty fucking close.
Masters of the craft have said plenty today. I tried to listen to WBUR live when I got in, but made it 30 seconds, despite their perspective it isn't really any different than filling the air with rumors and nothing to be gained for me to sit and listen.
So I cued up my Otis Redding station on pandora.
And then this song came on.
The pre-amble so appropriate.
A few links first:
This one is super short, but given that one of dead was an eight year old kid waiting at the finish line with his mother and younger sister to see his father cross the finish line it hits home. http://billjanovitz.com/blog/?p=1084
Bonnie's twitter was good feed to watch yesterday, and her write up was brilliant as to be expected. The quote that resonates is a theme many find I over-use, but it is far too applicable to go unmentioned:"It's a tragedy, and a shame they picked this event to exploit," Benoit said with quiet anger. link
Now end with the Washington Post
My wife has run a pile of marathons now (just in the last year). These are her friends, her people. Sure I had a pile of friends, #NECX is a tight knit bunch in many ways, we're athletes even if we don't really feel like it at times, we're fans and sporting events like the Boston Marathon are huge, local and emotional.
My words aren't really trying to say anything poignant, aren't trying to say anything new.
I was working on a scope yesterday, from about 2 until just before 4pm. I walked out, heard word of mouth that there were bombs at the marathon... headed back to the office, and more or less sat, unable to leave, move or do much for an hour.
Stunned, gutted, nauseous... emotional. I didn't find out how close Cindy and Charlie were until I got home, but I heard they were safe before I left.
Finally did manage to ride home. Emotionally detached. The usual brutal headwind was barely registering. I was supposed to stop and do some shopping on the way home. Get stuff to make dinner and all that.
I couldn't. Couldn't even imagine shopping.
I know this is an every day occurrence for people all over the world. It isn't here yet. Maybe we'll get to that point, I hope not... People are overwhelmingly good.
But there will always be those who look to exploit w/o care for anything but self serving goals.
be good, do good, strive to be a compassionate, empathetic, caring human.
heddwch
G
Masters of the craft have said plenty today. I tried to listen to WBUR live when I got in, but made it 30 seconds, despite their perspective it isn't really any different than filling the air with rumors and nothing to be gained for me to sit and listen.
So I cued up my Otis Redding station on pandora.
And then this song came on.
The pre-amble so appropriate.
A few links first:
This one is super short, but given that one of dead was an eight year old kid waiting at the finish line with his mother and younger sister to see his father cross the finish line it hits home. http://billjanovitz.com/blog/?p=1084
Bonnie's twitter was good feed to watch yesterday, and her write up was brilliant as to be expected. The quote that resonates is a theme many find I over-use, but it is far too applicable to go unmentioned:"It's a tragedy, and a shame they picked this event to exploit," Benoit said with quiet anger. link
Now end with the Washington Post
My wife has run a pile of marathons now (just in the last year). These are her friends, her people. Sure I had a pile of friends, #NECX is a tight knit bunch in many ways, we're athletes even if we don't really feel like it at times, we're fans and sporting events like the Boston Marathon are huge, local and emotional.
My words aren't really trying to say anything poignant, aren't trying to say anything new.
I was working on a scope yesterday, from about 2 until just before 4pm. I walked out, heard word of mouth that there were bombs at the marathon... headed back to the office, and more or less sat, unable to leave, move or do much for an hour.
Stunned, gutted, nauseous... emotional. I didn't find out how close Cindy and Charlie were until I got home, but I heard they were safe before I left.
Finally did manage to ride home. Emotionally detached. The usual brutal headwind was barely registering. I was supposed to stop and do some shopping on the way home. Get stuff to make dinner and all that.
I couldn't. Couldn't even imagine shopping.
I know this is an every day occurrence for people all over the world. It isn't here yet. Maybe we'll get to that point, I hope not... People are overwhelmingly good.
But there will always be those who look to exploit w/o care for anything but self serving goals.
be good, do good, strive to be a compassionate, empathetic, caring human.
heddwch
G
Monday, April 15, 2013
motivation... aka step by step
Right now, for some reason, I'm feeling motivated by the situation instead of weighed down by it.
We've moved through the mess that's writing a check to replay an interest free loan from the government, missing a big ride with my friends and team mates... The weather is sort of starting to warm up.
We've moved through the mess that's writing a check to replay an interest free loan from the government, missing a big ride with my friends and team mates... The weather is sort of starting to warm up.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
only tuesday
was completely bike free. managed to still spend 4 hours driving around on Wed, but got a few miles in and even the smackdown, sort of in.
Yesterday was pretty brutal on the way home. On the way in I was a few minutes a head of colleague and so I stopped and grabbed a length of black locust that was cut and felled two or three years ago, well seasoned, bark off, but the lengths are too long for the trailer. So i cut one in half.
Slowly, this stuff, seasoned is hard. very dense. Takes a long time to cut, eventually made it through.
Yesterday was pretty brutal on the way home. On the way in I was a few minutes a head of colleague and so I stopped and grabbed a length of black locust that was cut and felled two or three years ago, well seasoned, bark off, but the lengths are too long for the trailer. So i cut one in half.
Slowly, this stuff, seasoned is hard. very dense. Takes a long time to cut, eventually made it through.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
survived
another day or week or more w/o clipping back the fuzz.
first time in years I've let the leg hair grow back, and while it isn't at its resplendent super fuzzy peak, it is a forest of hair that make riding in shorts impossible.
can't do it, no. can't. wind tugging at the hairs? yeah, no that's not going to be happening.
April 9th and maybe one commute home where the temps were over 60°F. If i revert to the really old rule book i can keep my legs covered until 70°F and well that should get me well into the summer before having to shave.
broke the streak today. commuting car free that is. Had to drop everyone off, as I will tomorrow. But two days in a row on the bike have sort of fixed my back so there is that. hoping the car driving doesn't create a regression or re-aggravation of the issue.
Now I'm sure many of my friends who are both smarter than me will find all the holes in this essay, I've got issues with it but worth reading. Over coffee. Maybe. or not.
Someone asked a general question about replacing an AWOL CO2 Inflator and and hell why not pop what I said up here too. The questions was what frame pump to replace it with... so i wrote this: frame pump? get one that fits. I have to admit that my Zefal HP frame pumps from the mid-90s are still doing great. no problems at all. The lezyne stuff is well designed cool looking but pricey even though effective. I'd avoid any plastic pumps as they rarely seem to last.
If I was to replace one of the Zefals I'd go with a Planet Bike roadie. http://ecom1.planetbike.com/1016.html
for a few reasons
the company and mission
they are good at having spare parts avail to fix and it is by design rebuildabe
it comes in a variety of sizes
All the smart pro's around here ride with full size frame pumps, it is the cool thing to do. Never ending supply of air. CO2 = silly
I should add Myerson rides with a frame pump too... and is has said in the past: "the people who laugh at my frame pump always seem to ask to borrow it..."
I lost my CO2 inflator and multi-tool in one bumpy sad ride in the rain one day many years ago. The multi-tool was most awesome and not made anymore, and I've since pretty much tried to always travel with a frame pump when I can.
One assumption has sort of screwed up the weekend plans. But hey, it will work out. Kind of frustrating more than anything that I've been unable to secure a day to burn a steadily growing pile of unused vacation days and spend the day riding. Maybe soon i can just make it happen. Not this week, and it looks like next week won't fly either. three weeks out? who knows. The March Cookie ride was a bust. Holding out hope that I can make the C2R3 work. It has been frustrating. Shouldn't let it get to me but i'm weak, and well, sometimes trivial crap does...
Time to move the car.
A chore i don't relish on days I have to drive in.
When you add the time it takes to walk to the car, drive it to an all day spot, and walk back, it is faster to ride slowly into work than to drive. Parking further away in the morning where I don't have to move the car takes the same amount of time. Ah well. Sacrifices we make to make it all work.
heddwch
G
first time in years I've let the leg hair grow back, and while it isn't at its resplendent super fuzzy peak, it is a forest of hair that make riding in shorts impossible.
can't do it, no. can't. wind tugging at the hairs? yeah, no that's not going to be happening.
April 9th and maybe one commute home where the temps were over 60°F. If i revert to the really old rule book i can keep my legs covered until 70°F and well that should get me well into the summer before having to shave.
broke the streak today. commuting car free that is. Had to drop everyone off, as I will tomorrow. But two days in a row on the bike have sort of fixed my back so there is that. hoping the car driving doesn't create a regression or re-aggravation of the issue.
Now I'm sure many of my friends who are both smarter than me will find all the holes in this essay, I've got issues with it but worth reading. Over coffee. Maybe. or not.
Someone asked a general question about replacing an AWOL CO2 Inflator and and hell why not pop what I said up here too. The questions was what frame pump to replace it with... so i wrote this: frame pump? get one that fits. I have to admit that my Zefal HP frame pumps from the mid-90s are still doing great. no problems at all. The lezyne stuff is well designed cool looking but pricey even though effective. I'd avoid any plastic pumps as they rarely seem to last.
If I was to replace one of the Zefals I'd go with a Planet Bike roadie. http://ecom1.planetbike.com/1016.html
for a few reasons
the company and mission
they are good at having spare parts avail to fix and it is by design rebuildabe
it comes in a variety of sizes
All the smart pro's around here ride with full size frame pumps, it is the cool thing to do. Never ending supply of air. CO2 = silly
I should add Myerson rides with a frame pump too... and is has said in the past: "the people who laugh at my frame pump always seem to ask to borrow it..."
I lost my CO2 inflator and multi-tool in one bumpy sad ride in the rain one day many years ago. The multi-tool was most awesome and not made anymore, and I've since pretty much tried to always travel with a frame pump when I can.
One assumption has sort of screwed up the weekend plans. But hey, it will work out. Kind of frustrating more than anything that I've been unable to secure a day to burn a steadily growing pile of unused vacation days and spend the day riding. Maybe soon i can just make it happen. Not this week, and it looks like next week won't fly either. three weeks out? who knows. The March Cookie ride was a bust. Holding out hope that I can make the C2R3 work. It has been frustrating. Shouldn't let it get to me but i'm weak, and well, sometimes trivial crap does...
Time to move the car.
A chore i don't relish on days I have to drive in.
When you add the time it takes to walk to the car, drive it to an all day spot, and walk back, it is faster to ride slowly into work than to drive. Parking further away in the morning where I don't have to move the car takes the same amount of time. Ah well. Sacrifices we make to make it all work.
heddwch
G
Monday, April 08, 2013
so i missed it... damnit
P-R. Wanted to watch it. But slept in, less out of choice and more out of necessity.
HTRWW was great, nice re-cap but would have been nicer to watch it live when it was running.
How The Race Was Won - Paris-Roubaix 2013 from Cosmo Catalano on Vimeo.
This weekend looks to be a bit more complicated, and this week is just flat out insane. Hopefully I can manage to align everything so I can still get out and make the Wednesday night smackdown. Tomorrow is potentially a no bike day, wed might be much the same.
It is also not so easy to create a biographical sketch in 150 words. So I'm getting this off my head as a word shift break so I can get a fresh look and tweak a word or two and hit submit.
This is turning out to be the year I don't ride my bike much. Oh well. I've had a pretty good run so far.
heddwch
G
HTRWW was great, nice re-cap but would have been nicer to watch it live when it was running.
How The Race Was Won - Paris-Roubaix 2013 from Cosmo Catalano on Vimeo.
This weekend looks to be a bit more complicated, and this week is just flat out insane. Hopefully I can manage to align everything so I can still get out and make the Wednesday night smackdown. Tomorrow is potentially a no bike day, wed might be much the same.
It is also not so easy to create a biographical sketch in 150 words. So I'm getting this off my head as a word shift break so I can get a fresh look and tweak a word or two and hit submit.
This is turning out to be the year I don't ride my bike much. Oh well. I've had a pretty good run so far.
heddwch
G
Thursday, April 04, 2013
smackdown but not all the way out
It was up in the air if i was going to go or not, really wanted to just leave the house on the bike in the morning and keep riding.
Too much wind. The temps were cool but 20-30mph winds are not something that would make riding all day fun, unless I was riding with the wind all day, but with the wind direction I only had less than half a day of roads before hitting the ocean.
Pulled the plug on the all day. Waffled a bit on the ride, potentially was going to bail to get home for the dog, but the girls didn't get their stuff ready so they would be home before going out to dance class.
Smackdown it was.
Too much wind. The temps were cool but 20-30mph winds are not something that would make riding all day fun, unless I was riding with the wind all day, but with the wind direction I only had less than half a day of roads before hitting the ocean.
Pulled the plug on the all day. Waffled a bit on the ride, potentially was going to bail to get home for the dog, but the girls didn't get their stuff ready so they would be home before going out to dance class.
Smackdown it was.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Richard's Magic word
http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/the_magic_word
True, it works. It is good zen mantra to embody. that word. Sometimes lately I've used "I AM TRAFFIC TOO." but that doesn't always work well. For the most part the commute has been acceptable on the road lately. I do take the lane in general, because I can. One way, two travel lanes, traffic not so heavy that people can easily get around me w/o problem w/o any more delay than the City Bus that drives the route, or the delivery or dump trucks clogging or taking a lane.
Reading Richard's post reminded me of the often and very confusing response to assholes behind wheels. I would always try and respond with a friendly wave. The System comic has the great graphic illustration to go along with the wave: http://www.systemcomic.com/2011/02/28/the-system-472-road-sage/
But this morning it was "smile and wave boys" that got me on this thought line, there are a few better clips from the movies but Sarge's voice runs through my head "smile and wave boys, just smile and wave"
A devious subversive Pinky and the Brain plot to take over the world connotation sort of thing but is a genuinely and almost always effective disarming response.
But I will be adding Richard's word to the tip of my tongue. Will work on it at least.
heddwch
G
True, it works. It is good zen mantra to embody. that word. Sometimes lately I've used "I AM TRAFFIC TOO." but that doesn't always work well. For the most part the commute has been acceptable on the road lately. I do take the lane in general, because I can. One way, two travel lanes, traffic not so heavy that people can easily get around me w/o problem w/o any more delay than the City Bus that drives the route, or the delivery or dump trucks clogging or taking a lane.
Reading Richard's post reminded me of the often and very confusing response to assholes behind wheels. I would always try and respond with a friendly wave. The System comic has the great graphic illustration to go along with the wave: http://www.systemcomic.com/2011/02/28/the-system-472-road-sage/
But this morning it was "smile and wave boys" that got me on this thought line, there are a few better clips from the movies but Sarge's voice runs through my head "smile and wave boys, just smile and wave"
then
But I will be adding Richard's word to the tip of my tongue. Will work on it at least.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
a story about fat tires on road bikes
way back, a very long time ago...
It was a big fast flat sharp cornered crit. I was working the race in Neutral Support. A guy in the P/1/2 race was about my height, but had 20-30 pounds of muscle on me. A big dude.
He was riding a cannondale (I was too at the time). And he had absurdly fat tires. 28 contis.
I asked him about that, why such fat tires.
"So I can corner with the little light guys."
Light bulb.
Of course there were plenty of reasons why i sucked at cornering, and probably by most estimation and comparison to many of my peers I still stuck at it.
But putting fatter tires on changed my riding forever. I've been given a handful of skinny tires since then, and have ridden them, but all they do is remind me: "Big tall guys need fat tires."
It is very much en vogue right now to talk about running fatter tires. OMG 25s ARE SO MUCH BIGGER! I'M SCARED. Pusses.
23s suck. Always have, always will. They might be fine for a 150 pound roadie on a perfect surface, but when you push the envelope in height or weight, dynamics change quite a bit.
This is one of those things where I can point to one person in particular. Who was it? Not a clue. But his comment was so matter of fact, and said with such little pretense that it had a huge impact.
Why aren't we racing CX on 28c tires anymore? Skinny higher pressure is better right? Mt bikes, 1.95s RULED and everyone ran them pretty damn hard yo. Why is the road bike so different? (rhetorical purely).
with all the fat tire talk i felt compelled to get this out there. stupid bike makers that won't let you put a 28-30c tire on a road bike... dumb
heddwch
G
It was a big fast flat sharp cornered crit. I was working the race in Neutral Support. A guy in the P/1/2 race was about my height, but had 20-30 pounds of muscle on me. A big dude.
He was riding a cannondale (I was too at the time). And he had absurdly fat tires. 28 contis.
I asked him about that, why such fat tires.
"So I can corner with the little light guys."
Light bulb.
Of course there were plenty of reasons why i sucked at cornering, and probably by most estimation and comparison to many of my peers I still stuck at it.
But putting fatter tires on changed my riding forever. I've been given a handful of skinny tires since then, and have ridden them, but all they do is remind me: "Big tall guys need fat tires."
It is very much en vogue right now to talk about running fatter tires. OMG 25s ARE SO MUCH BIGGER! I'M SCARED. Pusses.
23s suck. Always have, always will. They might be fine for a 150 pound roadie on a perfect surface, but when you push the envelope in height or weight, dynamics change quite a bit.
This is one of those things where I can point to one person in particular. Who was it? Not a clue. But his comment was so matter of fact, and said with such little pretense that it had a huge impact.
Why aren't we racing CX on 28c tires anymore? Skinny higher pressure is better right? Mt bikes, 1.95s RULED and everyone ran them pretty damn hard yo. Why is the road bike so different? (rhetorical purely).
with all the fat tire talk i felt compelled to get this out there. stupid bike makers that won't let you put a 28-30c tire on a road bike... dumb
heddwch
G
big tobacco:big sugar (yeah more propaganda, you don't want to read anymore)
(go read that f'n article before going further)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
