legs...

Saturday riding home I was dead. The headwind was a chore. I was beat down, mentally and physically. Drained.

Sunday I bailed on what turned out to be a f'n amazing ride, but i had nothing and it would have been a mistake...  rode easily to the shop in street clothes and back home after blasting through the last of the bikes to assemble.

Monday, SUPER easy ride in and on the way home much the same and I stopped on the way home for a bit of liquid refreshment and to spend a few minutes just sitting on the rock soaking in the surroundings:

Was nice. Sunday was a disaster in every aspect. Total collapse. Crashed hard. Monday turned around. Spent some time with a praying mantis on the SEM (potential internet meme, just need a catch phrase, "Mantis Say What?" leading the pack but it isn't quite right).

Cranked through a pile of work and then home. Ate a big massive salad, had another champagne of beers and sat down to watch the game on the OTA broadcast and be an annoying pest to the social medias (like usual of course, maybe worse than normal maybe).

Tired this morning, wish the game had a different result, really not a blackhawks fan. But my legs were finally feeling not shitty. the lower back strain is going away/gone, feeling not terrible, tired but that's whatever.

Taking time, stepping back, taking it easy. As important as going balls to the wall. Nice to sort of have a realization of the process. good reminder.

Skipping the Tuesday night ride, going to hit the Wednesday Night one and then Thursday TT.  Friday is up the the air. weekend? who knows. the C2R3 ride is kind of looking bleak. A good idea but logistically right now a bit of a challenge with the timing, might still try and shoot for it mid-july. We'll see though. Not going to stake any big deal to it if it doesn't happen (for a change).

Gonna get a big pile of mushrooms on the way home. not sure what i'll make with them but it is gonna be gooooooooooood

heddwch

G

MLFN Memorial ride, next installment

So I should back up a bit i suppose, start the story the way I normally do...

Leading up to the ride, I attempted to get the word out that it was going to be an informal but super fun ride, including the route.  I printed up a set of cue sheets and more or less memorized the first part of the ride and the middle section. Maybe I should have said the route is NOT marked and to make sure you up load it into your garmin or bring your own cue sheet, or buddy up with someone who knew where we were going.

Problem a bit was none of the fastest did any of that.  Which is fine, it worked out well enough, but that's sort of anyway something for next year I guess.

So spreading the word worked better than for the gallery opening i guess. but then people do seem to have more control over their weekends than their friday nights.

That friday, i forget, I think I was at the shop building a few bikes, it was a crazy day of running around picking up dropping off, doing stuff. So I headed in from home on the bike to get a bit of a warm up ride to try and shed the driving in the car all day legs.

And a friend dropped off their dog for us to watch while they were off till Sunday. The dog is a very wonderful beagle, sweet and likes people. Maybe too much. All it wanted to do was get in bed with us. Not happening. So what happened? I spent all night (up till 3am) working on trying to get him to shut up and stop whining. Then Erin took him out and he finally quieted down and I got 3 hours of sleep.

Three.

Just like tour de cure. no sleep.

Well some sleep, enough to survive but not enough to be at full capacity.  I at least forced myself to eat some food, drank some extra water, made a second coffee, and probably should have had a 3rd or 4rh. Definitely should have done what I did at the TdC and got a pair of XL black iced for the water bottles on the way.

Except i was out of time and running late. no time. Skratch into the bottles then. Grabbed a mocha Cliff shot, it was all the portable caffeine i had to pack. Will have to work.

I forget what i was running around trying to figure out.  The seat bad has decided to not have stitching on the seat post attachment so i kind of needed to find a few things to make it work. But hey, I had cookies. And I packed a pile of them. And they worked well. No fueling problems.  Decked out in the black Prov Velo Kit and packing the camera to document the start, but I forgot to get a photo before we rolled out.

Without a specific location to start and gather there were kind of two groups at the park, one at the south side by the road and the other at the northern point. We got it together and eventually wound up a the northern point.  People kept showing up, we got a fantastic turnout. Very happy with the size of the group.  A range of speed and skills but a good group to honor a great man.

The weather was awesome, sunny and warm but not oppressive or super windy. Pretty much perfect.

We said a few words at the start, and off we went. Rolling en mass to the hills of Rhode Island. And I guess by default or design or who knows I wound up up front, leading us out of town, trying to set a decent pace but not a brutal one. We wound up turning left and somehow PKS or Fox or one of the other guys who was feeling frisky and impatient with the pace ticked it up a touch and the first splits started to happen. I worked a bit to stay with the first one. Then dropped off to check on the gaps to the back.

It wasn't billed as a no-drop ride but I didn't want it to be a true smackdown, but i realized i needed to know the route better than I did.  But despite that we managed to re-group just enough to keep the bulk of the gang together going into the first stop.  The biggest navigational mistake was hopping on the MNSD route and not getting back off it where we were supposed to, but it was pretty cool riding up Douglas Hill with everyone, and down the backside up to 44.  Stopped for water and food at the little store there and decided it was taking a bit long and a few mentioned wanting to get back. So we improvised.

Seat of the pants route changing, with input from everyone we headed down 102 to 101.

Meanwhile Goldberg was the only one who put turn by turn directions into his garmin and he actually made the turn we missed and was off to follow final 50 miles of the route by himself.

101 takes us up to the highest point in RI.  Goal. Yes. But man it is a rolling pain in the ass to get there. I hung on for the first roller. Let a little gap open on the second. By the third I was pretty much not having any of the smackdown pace being driven at the front and Derdowski and JC's comment earlier about just chilling and having fun, echoed with every pedal stroke up the hills. Everytime i got to the top the group was further ahead and more spread out. And I just said fuck it and relaxed and timed it so those two caught up as we got to the top of the state.

I knew where we were going at this point. So I turned where we had all planned despite not seeing everyone. The three of us made our way down, glorious roads, almost no traffic, wonderful day.

Just felt awesome to be on the bike with friends, on an adventure. The caffeine headache was settling in pretty well but there was a planned coffee stop up there.

And this was awesome (and a bit downhill). No clue where the rest of the gang was, half expected them to come swarming up around us.

We rolled down and got to Route 6 and I really wanted to ride back through the corner I marshaled for the rhody race so we turned right and rolled west on 6 for a short bit until we got to Balcom rd. That gave us the chance to ride the length of Central and get a bit of dirt. AND to ride through the covered bridge.

The hills kind of sucked but we were riding together. As a group. And it was good.

Just as we got up to the big road who came flying by as we got to it? Rich and Dave, doing a good impression of a two man TT rotating pulls, i guess there was some urgency to push the pace a bit to get back in time.  But only those two.  I knew the original route went north off that road we saw them on so I figured they went that way while Rich and Dave took the most direct route into town. And we just poked around into town and sat down in the shade outside to down some refreshment.  Biggest iced coffee they had hit the spot. And we were off again. Rolling into town on probably the worst section of pavement in the whole state. but it was still fun and I've ridden plenty on that road with MLFN.

The three keys to the ride: highest point in RI, super hilly ride, Starr/Jenkes combo after riding 75 miles.

We get into town, roll through Kennedy Plaza and turn left onto Main by the church.
I didn't feel up to trying to do Starr and then Jenkes so we rode up South Court first, left on Benefit and recovered a bit as we rolled slowly to it. JC was encouraged to get the full experience, one because he's super strong and two he's never done it before, Derdowski and I have done it many times, no need, esp knowing what Jenkes looks like.

Down JC went, turned around, rolled back up Starr and then right up Jenkes. I followed and it is kind of hard to describe what you see when you make the right turn. It is unexpected and just boom SUPER STEEP. While not insanely long it is kind of just long enough that it isn't easy.

And then it was time to head back to the start and collect my bag with water, and extra cookies.  Swung through the shop to say hey and check in.

Time to ride home.  Got texts filtering in. Fox checked in, Snyder blew a cleat i guess and pedaled one legged back.

Despite the chaos, the directional uncertainty. The ride was amazing. It was what Mark would have been super proud of. Talking with Corey and Melissa I think we've got a plan to make it bigger and supported for next year. The route is awesome and needs some signage, maybe a shorter version for some to make it more inclusive, tie it in with the NBW maybe, ask for donations so we can make a gift to someone fighting cancer or something in Mark's honor, work a bit more at publicity beyond what we did this year.

Plans, big ones, but you know, everyone had an amazing time (well everyone I talked to) and the ride was awesome, so even if we fall flat and trip over ourselves and can't manage more than we did this year, it will still become an annual tradition.

I hope. That's the plan at least.

Seems that most of everyone who reads this thing was there. Was great to see Bart but I can't remember what band he said he found after starting to listen to a bunch of Alabama3.  anyway

Hopefully starting the day writing will keep it spinning in a positive creative direction.

heddwch
G

need to

write about a pile of stuff

just not feeling it

worked yesterday and today...  full week next week, probably work both days next weekend too.

why not?

no one else is digging,

bikeworks TT first of 2013

a race...  first one in a little while.

MLFN Memorial ride: the map

To start with we had a route.

Brent kicked ass putting it together, literally finding all the hills, all the best hills in the loop.

Stop by the opening tomorrow

and so it begins

just me and the dog, a least for a pretty solid stretch

should have tons of time to write about the amazing saturday ride.

I should. but between everything happening and the craziness we'll see.

Might have to start serializing it or something.

For now it is getting caught up around the picture factory and prepping for the Gallery Opening on Friday night.  5-7pm. Pretty excited about it, kind of a big deal. Have to pick up a 10' long print here in a few minutes and get it to the gallery.

Prime wisdom from these kids (h/t to Fatmarc for the vid):

post colonial american food for dinner

Tonight's dinner, a big departure from the more meat light fare normally served in the house, but it will still be a significantly more veggie meal by volume, and it smells super good and feels like a nice indulgence

Start with the simple first:

mashed russet potatoes, simple, butter, some milk, black pepper and salt.

Meatloaf,
wrapped in bacon, two hand formed loaves on a sheet pan (maximize the crust yo) with a BBQ glaze
85% lean ground beef (just over a pound, shy of 1.5 pounds)
bread and left over cornbread
milk
2 med eggs
sage
black pepper
3 cloves garlic
salt
oregano
dash of chili powder
splash or tablespoon or two of BBQ sauce
hand mixed and formed
two strips of bacon over the top

in convection oven at 350F

when bacon looks cooked pour a bit more BBQ sauce over the twin loaves

Succotash,
corn,
carrots
onions,
red pepper,
bacon
shelled edamame beans
olive oil
salt

started browning some diced bacon, added olive oil, then the diced carrots, then the onions, corn, edamame, and then the red pepper.

a bit of salt, some water to steam and cook,

when all finished

serve and eat...

it is in process but initial taste tests of the succotash are proving quite popular with the two younger tasters.

heddwch
G

instead of writing today

i spent two hours trying to extract a busted cable end from inside a ST-5600 Flight Deck 105 right shift lever.

Like with everything you spend a long time trying everything with no success. I got to the point where the reccomendation was to take it back to the shop he bought it have and have them file a warranty claim because these are known to fail and when they fail in a low gear that end jams the mech.

The end was well jammed.

But.

I got it out.

I win.  So much futzing, but no blood and I don't think anything is too worse for the wear. Luckily (maybe) the set screw for the pivot was rusted in place or maybe i might have had more of a challenge getting it all back together.

tomorrow 9am Lippitt Park, PVD

The ride http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2634297

join us, everyone is welcome, it isn't a no-drop ride but i'm expecting it to break up a bit based on fitness levels and desires to go fast or slow.

laying the ground work for something bigger next year

been a bit busy otherwise

so much to do some of which is getting done

not all

lots of driving today
back and forth
here and there

realizing that tomorrow isn't just a ride - that's going to be a lot of saddle time, might be a check strava when i get home and do laps until I hit a number, if i can.

part 2

the sleep i needed was elusive last night, between the legs and brain and then a tweaked back muscle (from working fabricating a light tight enclosure at or above head height all day yesterday) i slept incredibly poorly.  And despite eating well last night and this morning I still hit the wall and ran out of leg pedal juice about a mile from work.

Legs were hosed on the way home too.  Fortunately there was a nice tailwind.

back to the ride though yeah?

Austin?  Yeah somewhere there.  We weren't going the fastest ever but we were w/in a few mph of Singmaster and the Derdowski at a peak heading up Greenville.

Austin.

So getting through the light there where it T's into 44 is always a pain but a sympathic Sprinter driver let us in and we rolled in.  Despite Greve's warning to stay off the front I found myself on Andrew M's wheel.  That's not the front, right?  Close enough.  Andrew's one of those VO2Max freaks of nature. Skinny + watts. Not a good combo for a guy a few pounds shy of clydesdale, esp up hill.

But you know what? Little ring magic has been working.  EVERYONE ONE ELSE WAS IN BiG RING (suckers). Little ring magic.

Also the familar "shit we have more to climb" landmarks were fleeting past. Oh, shit, not, much, left. This isn't so bad.

Literally, the climb wasn't effortless but it was relaxed and I was able to stay on the strongest climber in the bunch drilling it up.

Pretty fucking cool.  Gotta think maybe that's how Mark rode that hill every time. Easily. Sort of. Felt nice, not to be dropped on Austin.

It was raining and i was drenching my left arm from Andrew's wheel spray, and then we turned right.

Past the water tower where Mark always shifted into the big ring...

and i shifted into the 46.

YEAH BIG RING...  whopping 46. WEEE.  All those jackasses with their 50s and 53s.  pfft.

And Greve went to the front.  First sprint line.  Mark's stars were still there.  PKS went, Fox is just always reacting to PKS so he went and we lifted the pace.  I came around a few climbers and latched on to the heavy jumbo (greve) and we rolled through and down...

And who comes rolling through? Becca.  BECCA? Damn she ditched the climbers and bridged to the sprinters and we all rolled through.

AND THEN THE HEAVENS UNLOADED.

I think Andrew rolled through and attacked with Fox and Greve PKS Becca and I were chasing. none of us could see.  Roads were flooded, rain was so intense glasses were ineffective. Becca actually was driving the pace more than anyone else after we passed the sprint points and Andrew and Fox got a gap.

We closed it down just as we got to the farm and just as the rains stopped/subsided a little mangy freaky half bald and probably blind cat started walking out into the road.

I was no way gonna move over into everyone else who could see the cat but fortunately it stopped walking across the road and we didn't run over it but man a few were haunted by that cat last night.

heading over to Douglas hook we regrouped and headed up it. Mark's favorite sprint point. Okay so he didn't have one favorite point IMHO. At least from what I remembered. But PKS did it justice, a solid lead attack then unload. We managed to hang on and then a few attacked after the green stars.  Green stars to match his scarf.  That's why i have the green tape on the Klein.

After that first hill sprint point the elevation keeps climbing until  we FLY down the hill.  My hill. Always drag everyone back there. but That day? Greve headed down, then C Burke, everyone else was left...  i came around a few and BOMBED down the hill, in the pelting rain. past burke, then after fjording the river across the road I passed greve and we hit the rollers, up and down up to 44, and the rain poured down...

and then PKS attacks, why? Just to mess with Fox. Seriously.  Fox doesn't remember the lines and PKS loves that.  And last night played it up big time.  More than once. But heading into 44 and the traditional re-group point, he suckered more than just Fox. He got everyone. I laughed. Was funny.

Kirk and Kyle and Brent rolled in and we needed to keep rolling. We were warm but it was still pouring rain and standing around not moving is not a good idea so off we went.

PKS leading out, me on his tail, through the construction on 44, so much water, so many puddles.

But hey - there's the last hill.  Tourletott. Crank it baby.  1 mile long, not super steep but relentless.  Kyle lead out.  Then Fox took off.  I just put my head down, found a rhythm and pedaled.  A few surged past me, then faded.  Who? Dunno.  PKS totally dominated the hill and the rest of the ride.

But then it was pouring rain again.  Regrouped after the turn, Andrew was looking skittish, Becca commented she was unsure who to trust less going downhill in the rain, herself or cars.  And PKS and Fox and I took off.

Past the house where the dog ran out and destroyed Naveen's bike. Right on Snake hill, left right away and then right again after some rollers.  time to chill.  It is down hill.  We're rolling, NBD. Kyle says this is where he usually attacks, Burke and I sort of say "Okay? so?" and he went.

This ride was just absolutely fucking amazing. The rain, the trading of body blows, it was not an easy ride but the rain always gives me extra watts and I had pulled it back a notch or two.

And then we turned right.  WTF? RIGHT? WHERE THE FUCK ARE WE GOING?

Where's the massive horsepowerfest down Snake hill that Mark LOVED (okay i loved it, esp the time when a whole screw went through Syl's tire, tube and rim at 35mph).

Left right, up down, rollers, shitty roads.  Low traffic though. But where's the horsepower drag.

I'm thinking that as I'm dangling a few seconds out of a draft of the top group. Close to catching then not quite, closer, not quite. And then we turn right.  Wait. This is greenville.  Wait, Greve is taking off for the sprint for the telephone pole before we turn right.  Damnit.  Ah well.

Dig deep man.

That last ride with Mark. We sprinted for that telephone pole. And there was a gap between me and the lead group (including Mark). And I tried to close that gap.

I worked my ass off, Greenville is all downhill from there but back then in 2009 i couldn't close that gap down.  That was NOT going to happen.  I got on, then inexplicably Andrew started to leave a bit of a gap... no... no gaps.  Jump around bridge up.  Fox attacks. PKS and Greve go, I go around Burke and just dig deep to get on that wheel.

ON THE WHEEL.

and i make it...  and there's the last downhill...  i survived.  PKS, Fox, Greve and Me.  And we rolled down through the bike path...  by the time we headed up to Mt P the gang had all re-grouped.  In the rain.

Still raining.

Lots of mad props from people in the door ways. All the way down Atwells people were smiling happy, saying congratulatory comments of admiration. Was cool.

It wasn't cold, but man it was wet.

And the ride was everything.

Couldn't think of any better way to celebrate a man we so admired, and were so touched by.

The ride was amazing. Sand in everything. So much water. Intensely dark belgian sock tan.

Was worth of Mark. Even with the neutering of the speed section of the ride.  Granted it has been more than a year since I've made it out on the Tuesday edition, but even though it isn't his route I have to honor him with the wed ride.

Tonight it wasn't going to happen, I was destroyed. No sleep last night despite having eyes too heavy to stay open to write. Eyes closed I was still not able to sleep.  Made today a bit tough, fabrication has to happen though.

Legs on the way home were so grateful that there was a tailwind.

Saturday is going to be magical.

Try to make it.  If you can. Open to everyone, open ride, not organized other than a gathering for an incredible ride for an incredible person.

heddwch
G

that was a ride

 Mark would have talked about for years.

We rolled out towards the start under DARK ominous threatening clouds. But you know what? It didn't matter. It wasn't raining when we started and holy fucking shit that was just f'n BRILLIANT.

Was not a small group, was not a huge group, but it was an awesome group.

It was wet, so wet, rain started at some point, light, then steadily getting heavier. Roads were already filled with water, all the holes, the uneven surfaces that are Rhode Island roads, so much standing water. No fenders that did much of anything except for the rider, heck only two bothered with them? and sitting on either of those wheels wasn't any better than a fenderless draft.

So much grit in the teeth, so much rain and spray that glasses were useless.

We rolled out, and headed up greenville.  ScottyG and PKS set a matched pace at the start and then eventually peeled off as the grade leveled off.  That left me, driving the pace.

To honor Mark's style for the ride I was committed to my 38.  38 to the top of Austin.  No big ring till Mapleville.  But I set a sustainable but solid clip....  all the way to the left turn, ScottyG came around me as we started the downhill into the run to meet up with 44.  He pegged it in his big ring and little cog, and I sucked that delicious draft till he pulled off, we were hauling but that little ring was working, that said I have spent plenty of time with on a 40x12 as a tall gear...  it ain't no big deal. But i wasn't about to give up 2nd wheel 'cause of a damn lack of teeth. ScottyG once again pulled off and I rolled through for a bit and then eased off and big Greve said "watch it, don't spend so much time up there," as I rolled back into his draft.

Over to Austin we rolled.  That hill.  I always used to get shelled spectacularly there. Like not even funny shelled.  Like spend the whole time all the way to 44 killing myself to get back into the group.

---to be continued (sleep... need)

in memoriam

Tomorrow is the anniversary of a very sad day. Four years ago tomorrow (June 11th) I got a call from Derdowski as I was driving up to Maine with the news that Mark Louis Francis Nicholson had died.

Mark fought a brilliant battle in the most noble, joyous and loving manner imaginable. The human race lost the most amazing individual to GBM cancer (brain). He beat the odds longer than almost anyone.

We never could convince him that lower pressure was better in Cyclocross but he still did pretty damn well in Plymouth when we drove out together.

There are going to be two rides in his honor this week. Tomorrow is the smackdown. That it falls on the anniversary of his death is especially powerful, this is a route and a ride he was passionate about. He wanted Providence to have brutally fast and challenging no-drop ride. So he crafted a route. Painted arrows.

And he NEVER EVER EVER shifted into the big ring until after the top of Austin. EVER.

I was there on that last one. That last smackdown. He dropped me. Or I should say he found the strength, even as he was dying, to bridge to the next group when I though I couldn't. He rolled home with Mark Greve and then peeled off to head home and met this tall lanky awkward guy on a bike doing laps on the BLVD. That tall guy was Keith Kelly.

Come ride with us tomorrow. 5pm DePasqualle Square departure.

And on Saturday (big 75 mile ride, 6k+ feet of climbing, highest point in RI, and finishing up Jenkes). Want more details? Just ask. You've got my email or leave a comment.

we miss you mark.

heddwch
G

why do you ride

Lots of reasons,

Today was a hybrid ride. Wife had to drop her parents off at the Airport early, leaving me with the kids to shuttle to school with piles of stuff. Bike goes on the roof.

Passed one of the Marks about 4 miles from home, he was on the path.  I drove, through stop and go traffic, down main, up college, over to waterman, brown, parked.  Took bike off, rode down to office.  As I'm fishing out my card to get in, Mark rolls up.

Bike wins, have to ride all over town, today, rain, no rain, at least i'll get to pedal despite having to drive...

Why do you ride?


h/t to deano for the link

Bikeworks TT is starting up again

Starts next thursday june 13th.  6:30 start time

Tremont street course. 8.1 mile TT

I should probably break down and replace the drive train on that Paramount, those cogs and that chain are pretty damn tired.  Too bad it is so hard to find decent 8sp cassettes anymore.

wed night smackdown

Well...  i gave it a go. 

drugs

...or more verbosely: why you should actually give a shit about eating well and taking care of yourself, don't start when you're 35 and overweight, don't wait till you've had your first heart attack...



I will maintain my belief, mis-guided as many think, that western medicine sucks giant donkey balls in treating chronic illness.

To their credit there isn't a better system for treating acute symptoms, assuming you can get diagnosed properly and timely.

Fast Boy ... latest from Ezra

Take a moment, http://www.teachingcancertocry.com/?p=1646 I've been pushing his story a bit lately.

lately? fuck, forever.  I've "known" Ezra since we both 'found' Flickr in 2005, and found a place that was positive and constructively critical and uniquely social to share photos and information...  flickr was different then...  anyway yes...  yeah where was it

So yeah...  like in internet worlds that's forever.

The story has been unfolding in a direction no one hoped it would. We wanted this to carry out, I wanted him to beat the odds, take that 6-12 month diagnosis and Mark Louis Francis Nicholson that shit. Take a one year to live sentence and turn it into 5 amazing glorious productive years.

That is what I wanted the scan to tell us. That is what I wanted to hear reading it.

But it didn't take long for the myth to be dispelled.  i just about lost it at the "lets start with the arm and the complete totality of his realization that he may never get to ride a bike again.

Let that sink in... I did.

And i kept reading...  and got to the last line....

And i lost it.

I was hoping that it would be different

I lost it, literally just broke down. even knowing what was coming...

Mark went through this same thing almost, but despite seeing him a couple times a week, riding bikes, having coffee, Mark never let on how bad it was to anyone but a few, until he checked into the hospital for the last time. We knew, Greve said as much, we knew that one week out of four he was not doing the smack down to get more Chemo. But no clue until he was gone as to how little time we had left with him.

Mark died in 2009 on June 11th...  been thinking about him a lot interwoven with the story of Ezra, the auto-biography, documented by video, film, and words and craft has been very compelling, and ultimately as you
said sad...

very sad

and i've lost it again....

On June 11th we're having a memorial smackdown edition.  I'm going to be there.

On June 15th we're going to have a kick ass 75 mile hilly ride... Ronde style maybe, maybe just a big mass start heading out on the route, attrition style. We'll see how many show up and how it works out.

My hope is that next year we can take the long ride and make it a benefit and an official named event in his honor, starting somewhere, simple, just starting this year.

heddwch
G

tour de cure ride report

The little hill at the 4hr mark was the final straw, lost the group there, then battled a very stiff headwind and the heat for the last hour. mostly alone. Seeing as I had done almost all the work to the 60 mile point in making the selection (like an idiot).

I did manage to do the ride on 3 bottles for some dumb reason.   Two stops. No sleep. Had that oh shit panic falling asleep moment in the car, fortunately it was so quick all it did was wake me up with a surge of adrenaline.

Oh and i forgot how short the sleeves were on the jersey when i put the sun screen on, i've got a nice couple cm of red where the sunscreen faded into nothing.  oops. it worked where i did put it.

I'm way more destroyed physically after today than the 140 mile a week or two ago.

http://app.strava.com/activities/57747696

gearing up

... for sunday's Tour De Cure.

Took the day off yesterday. I had intended to get at least a mile or two so I wouldn't miss out on 20 points towards the National Bike Challenge but, it was good to be off the bike.  First day off since the 12th of May. Not all hard days but a good string of intensity and one really long ride.  Looks pretty silly compared to the PROs and their 200 mile ride. But they're Pro for a reason. I'm pro in other stuff. I just ride bikes, sometimes longer and faster than others but it is a recreation for me, not an occupation.

200 not on 100 the film

As with most Todd and Chandler productions they take a long time to get from footage to final product.

This is pretty damn good though.

Grab a couple cups of coffee and kick back, turn up the sound and hit full screen. Keep an eye out for Chaboom.


200 Not On 100 from cycloWHAT? on Vimeo.

The Code

not some secret writing thing,

talking about the code of cycling.

A sunset ride...

as the temps are cooling down and just before the sun started setting,

i headed out on the black blue, needed to assess the impact of 140 miles or rain on the bike (rear shifting is janky and the bike is still dirty and the chain was a bit dry).

as a post script to the ride to New London CT and back....

Wanted to add this as a bit of a post script, but felt it should stand alone after i started to let the words flow.

Last year I did the 155 mile ride to Woods Hole and back with Russ and Myles.  That was a lot more challenging, and just as rewarding.  So this length seems, sort of no big deal.

Why bring that up? Not sure.  But one thing above all is certain, I've done a lot of these long crazy rides with other people.  Andrew, Dean, Brian, Cameron, Russ, Myles, and a few of them alone.  Some times I'm the stronger rider but it almost seems despite something I wind up having to suck a wheel, or apologize at the top of the hill, or after cracking when we turn into the wind and I get shelled.

incidental symmetry

that's what I'm calling the ride.

We leave from Peng's undergrad institution and ride to mine and back.

Tomorrow, New London and back

That's the plan.  Peng isn't letting me off the hook with the potential threat of weather.  "It won't be any worse than the giro this year. At least it looks like it'll be reasonably warm."

after no riding

it has been all riding, everywhere, all the time.

And unless the weather really throws a humdinger at us the next couple days will be a pretty big test.

more reason to

poke fun at those compression garment wearers.

sure there's some benefit to prevent DVT when flying, that's pretty well established.

But compression tights?  And no, it isn't just so i don't have to see SkinnyWhiteDude walking around the team hotel in his see through crotch compression tights.

Here's the conclusion

Conclusions
Typical indicators of EIMD including muscle soreness,
loss of muscle function, elevated CK and cytokine
activity were evident in the present study, even though the
level of muscle damage appears to have been low and the
inflammatory response was subtle. This may in part be
due to the training status of our subjects and their high
level of adaptation to the exercise stimulus performed,
and the timing of the blood sampling which may have
precluded complete capture of the cytokine changes and
any potential impact of altered circulation. Even so,
muscle soreness was reported, mild loss of muscle function
was evident and there was some indication of an
acute-phase inflammatory response. Based on the perceptual
data, subjects always felt better recovered when
CG were worn, however, the restoration of muscle function
post-exercise and the biomarkers investigated showed
no evidence of enhanced physiological recovery. Additional
information in the initial hour and between 1 and
24 h post-exercise may provide further insight into the
true cytokine response to the intermittent exercise and the
impact, if any, of the garments worn. Given the heavy
promotion of compression garments to athletes and the
general belief that they are of benefit, any positive psychological
aspect of wearing the garments should be
viewed with caution. As such, in the absence of a completely
blinded control trial, the potential for an overestimation
of the treatment effectiveness should also be
considered. Apart from the perceived response of subjects,
the biochemical and physical responses observed in
this study provide no evidence of a benefit on the
recovery process of highly trained team-sport athletes
wearing lower-body CG for 24 h following exercise.

Eur J Appl Physiol (2013) 113:1585–1596

Bottom line: compression garments help you feel recovered but even though you feel recovered you are not. pretty critical distinction.  There are obviously times when it is beneficial to pile on and add training load on tired muscles, but there are times when you need to make sure you let it all recover before going at it again.

compression garments seem to be kind of a bad idea, at least after looking at this...

just something else to think about (new published data)

heddwch
G

just... thinking, this morning

Chaboom mentioned this TED radio hour episode. I had time, once I finally got to the coffee today (home coffee maker is broken, may be irreparable i hope not) to listen.  The only downside is I ate all my Lunch already. It is going to be an interesting day, if insanely busy starting in a few minutes.

back to the radio... 

Radish Greens are the new Beetroot

So, finally managed to eat enough/excess calories two days in a row leading up to the smackdown.

Kind of has always been a problem lately. but i got it. Timing of eating today was pretty good.  Got way too busy this morning to drink the coffee early, so that consumption was biased to the afternoon.  Hopefully i'll sleep.

Weather was SUPER crazy windy (but protected much of the ride in the trees and hills in Rehoboth).

And it was spitting rain at the start and had just dumped a bit before the ride.  I don't think it actually rained on us but those with bare legs or at least shins got a nice belgian tan.  After about a mile I didn't notice the spray from the tire soaking my ass.  An Ass Saver would have been nice.  So would have remembering to grab the clip on selfish fender.  No worries.  Only Derdowski had a selfish fender.  We were all eating tire spray.

8 rolled out, two more joined in.

Not the most insanely fast pack but no one was a slouch, dropped on on the Pine run the first time, and dropped one, and lost one to go back and wait for dropped guy.  Becca and Kyle showed up mid-ride and becca torched it up the steep side of rocky hill.  Well that or she did a kick ass job of getting back in the group on the way down the backside.  I dunno, i went over rocky hill both ways first.  2nd on hillside too (led all the way until peng passed me on the final pitch syl went by but i was having non of that and pipped him at the line).

I was feeling good.  Maybe it was hauling logs in the trailer yesterday, or the weather.  But no. I'm going to credit it all to the radish tops i put in my breakfast sandwich today.  It could have been dropping the stem, and not by a little.  Like slamming that fucker.  Handles like crap out of the saddle.  Fine sitting down. So low.  Like a deep drop track bike feeling.  Bars are still 46 c-c (whikked whyde kehd)

Fox made a somewhat unwise but conservative choice and went with the heavy tights and winter jacket.  Arm warmers, base layer and knee warmers. Hey we all gain experience the hard way at times.  And if you ask me what to wear and I nail it, expect a minor bit of gloating.

Anyway - it was a good ride....  ending with a bit of a belgian tan always works.

Cooling down into this headwind? not so much but still was good to not feel terrible on the bike.

yeah yeah - maybe the full week off the bike wasn't as terrible for my riding as I let my self to think.

dinner is done, made dinner and wrote the blog post.  MULTI-TASKING FTW (maybe, dinner might be less than popular with some of the family, but tough, that's what we're having, that is what there is to eat.  Short order cook for breakfast, maybe lunch, never dinner, (okay, almost never).

heddwch
G

morning food short

Most overlooked and delicious parts of both the radish and the beet?  The tops.

Beet green look like chard or red spinach and taste not unlike them and get eaten a bit.

Radish tops man i love them.  My personal favorite green almost.  Right up there with lambs-quarter (a colloquial name for Chenopodium album).  I'm actually eating them this morning in a ham, habanero cheese, and egg sandwich.

They even hold up well in breakfast scrambles.

And yes, while often i'll just get beet root w/o the tops, i'll always sort through the radish bunches looking for the ones with the best and fullest greens.

A very flavorful addition to any green salad or burger or anywhere spinach might more commonly be used.

Diversity in food and reduction in waste.  Don't let the bunch of radishes get all slimy from the tops, eat the tops before they turn.  Radish roots are also a brilliant addition to burritos, sliced, hot or cold, they add a bright complex crunch that enhances the flavors, esp good in fish tacos.

heddwch
G

bothered

more than i should that i only managed to ride 18 miles this week.

one day.

mentioned it before, and despite having a pretty damn remarkably good day today, well above the average and venturing into the awesome, the damn albatross is weighing me down.

but man good day - write about the positive right? helps to dispel the negaive?

supposedly.

gets to the point

that yes, even that guy, starts to struggle

Sunscreen Recommendation Time

I won't link to a specific place to purchase it, this is not a paid product endorsement, it is not a way to generate revenue.

Just a genuine recommendation for something that really actually finally works.

It isn't perfect, no, it is harder to wash off, some people don't like the way it feels, but does it work?  Yes. It is the only stuff that I've found to work.

I've been using it exclusively I think since 2009 maybe?  Now it seems the formulations are Paraben free even.  IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER.

Recently I've said a few things about it so I'll just cut and paste.

you can always check what i've said before http://www.gewilli.com/search?q=%22blue+lizard%22 still stand by it all.  Shit I should send in a sponsor resume and ask them for a new Gallon of the Sensitive.

What kind of sunscreen are people using?

only thing i use now is Blue Lizard Sensitive.  none of those fucking hormones that get used up.

I'm pretty fair skinned and it got to the point where I just said f'it and bought a gallon of it (found it on sale on line for $140 iirc but that was a couple years ago)

I can cover up with it and spend all day in the sun, at the beach, swimming or anything and feel like i stayed inside at least from the skin sensations.

Stuff doesn't wash off.  You don't need to keep re-applying it.

Downside, it isn't the cleanest chemical concoction but it isn't really any different than most lotions or shampoo.  It also takes a bit to wash off (good for sports activities).

I've tried most all of the other Zinc oxide ones and they don't work very well for me.  And I just flat out refuse to use the chemical absorbing type, those are some nasty ass compounds, and based on how my skin feels I think they do more to just prevent you from reacting and getting a sun burn than actually preventing damage from the sun.  The Blue Lizard stuff actually seem pretty solid.

Never would have tried it if I didn't get a free sample.  Put it on one day before spending the whole hot june day walking around with the girls at a park in the sun all day.  Got home and for the first time ever wasn't sunburnt, and two didn't feel like a french fry that had been left under the heat lamp all day.

Put it this way.  Summer camp for the kids.  YMCA camp with pool.  In and out of the pool 2-3 times a day.  She's as pale as me.  Cover her in Blue Lizard in the morning before we leave.  She doesn't re-apply all day.  Camp counselors are baffled that she didn't want to put more on.

She's the only one the next day w/o sunburn.

Tan lines slowly developed over the summer.  But i mean SLOWLY.  

The oldest went through the routine of burning where she didn't put more on (back usually, sometimes legs) before I discovered the Blue Lizard.  It works for all day bike rides too. Put it on once.  Sweat city but no sun burn.  

have a nice day

could be the subtitle to this speech:



It is the time of year when Commencement speeches are given. Colleges and universities pick bright, talented charismatic speakers, to deliver inspirational and thought provoking messages to the graduating class. Some colleges start calling these students right after or even during graduation to ask for money (rumor i heard last night).

And with all these academic mills churning out more and more individuals with less and less significant pieces of paper and a pat on the back saying "good luck" one might think that there would be so many more amazing speeches going viral.

DFW's This is Water speech isn't the best crafted in the whole length, isn't the most masterfully delivered. But it is good, and the core of it is brilliant.

The remastered and super high production value movie takes that 22 odd minute long speech and creates an under 10 minute visual masterpiece of some of the most key elements of the full unabridged version.

In this, a rare case, an abridged version stands nearly up to the source.

Skip the first one if you like, but if you aren't going to sit and listen to the whole speech, give this a watch.



Why?

Because it is fucking brilliant.

When you get done with those and feel like watching a nice little 17 min speech by the CEO of Twitter check it out here http://youtu.be/oqRPesTumlA very much a related subject. Probably not accidental, but the meaning and philosophy are not far off and very complimentary.

heddwch

HB Saul Bass

i had to sit through a ging add talking about "new home page every day" with pictures and stuff.

Oh you have pictures? Well how about this?


sure i'm more of a google fan and very much not so enamored with microsoft or apple, my bias presents a reaction that may not be typical.

I've long since given up trying to be someone "normal" but it isn't easy coming to terms with being comfortable with who I am. Very different, but conflicting in a way.

How to turn left and why i did what i did and

as a pre-amble that last post, about the turning - it was more of a story about flying off the handle maybe a bit too excessively and judgmentally than the specifics of the law in that instance. but. even given that i don't believe my interpretation to be illegal or incorrect, and still find the brash judgement of a couple of brothers out on a bike ride to be more pushing on the illegal side of things, and i feel confident in my approach to the intersection as not being illegal or wrong and more right than splitting lanes and stopping in front of and next to while between cars when not in a designated bike lane.

But somewhat compelled as an exercise in communication, and in an attempt to work out here, a way to more easily illustrate this 'style' of riding I'm going to try and set it out.

There are great books out there.  Safe Bicycling pamphlete is out there.  Usually a nice yellow book, 30-50 pages long or so.  I got one or two for free at one point.  They are out there and here's a section on one.

page 20
http://www.cityofchicago.org/dam/city/depts/cdot/bicycling/publications/bike_chicago_english.pdfTurning Left from a Left-turn
Lane: Follow these steps for making left turns
just like cars do.
From the right side of the street, look behind
you for a gap in traffic. ➊ Start looking a halfblock or more before the intersection.
When traffic allows, signal left and change
lanes. ➋ If you can’t find a gap and you’re
sure of your skills, get a driver to let you in by
making eye contact and pointing. Don’t change
lanes until you’re sure the driver will yield!
Go to the middle of the left-turn lane. ➌ If
there’s more than one turn lane, use the one
farthest to the right—unless you’re making
another left turn immediately.
If there’s a car already waiting to turn left, get
behind it. ➍ (Never put yourself next to a car
in the same turn lane!) Don’t be afraid of
oncoming cars that are stopped facing you, waiting to turn left.
Turn just like a car does. ➎ After the turn,
move into the right lane—unless another
vehicle is there or you’re making another left
turn immediately

So yeah that is a pretty consistent write up, totally in line with my interpretation of the RI laws.

Here's the deal.  When there is a wide road, say one lane in each direction, plenty of room on the side of the cars that are stopped to filter forward w/o coming unduly close to the cars, by all means filter forward.  Passing you again will generally not be an inconvenience and won't be noted unless you're riding like a dumbass self-endangering moron.

Now say that nice wide road, goes from one lane in each direction to one turn lane and a travel lane in each direction.  Same curb width.  Now you have three lanes of cars (when traffic is heavy, say like it was that other night).  There is no room for you to filter forward on the right. There is no room for a car to safely pass.

That's when you become traffic.  You were traffic before but you have the right to protect your space by taking the lane.  This becomes nearly not a problem for many because it is easy on most bicycles to keep up with the flow of traffic on this block when it is congested. The lights are well timed to empty the block, even on bike. You never have to wait more than a cycle.

So once through the light I always merge in, take the lane and follow the cars and the majority of them turn left at that intersection but there are always enough going straight to fill the right lane back to the turn lane split.  And to filter forward you have to split the lanes and it is tight. Very tight.  Possible but tight.  And then what? When you get to the front along side the car you might be fine but maybe the driver is so intent on the light that they don't see you.  Or You decide you can go faster and then get run over.

It may not be technically illegal but it is super inconsiderate, aka a selfish rage inspiring action, and dangerous to your personal safety. I'm not overstating that qualification. It really pisses motorists off. We don't need anyone, in two wheels or four, inciting anger or rage in people driving cars.

Just
Don't
Need

So for me, having gotten in line with the cars, stuck my left arm out to merge into the turn lane (having taken the lane prevents a car from overtaking me anyway) and while the car behind me is a few feet further from the intersection there is little delay or slowing of their progress.  We turn left from one lane into two.  I turn left from my lane and merge visibly over to the right lane and again take the full lane down to the start of the bridge and the bike path.

No one passes me more than once, no vehicles are impeded, I have high visibility and a higher degree of safety.

Splitting the lanes and rolling to the front and parking yourself on your bike in the crosswalk in front of the cars turning left? doesn't help.  That or running the red light because it is about to change to green? that doesn't help either.

There was nothing illegal about my actions, and my course of proceeding through the intersection. I stayed to the right, as far right as practically possible, which means if I want to turn left i need to be on the right middle of the turn lane. And on narrow roads where it isn't safe to pass I have full legal right in RI to take the lane, again, I'm not a lawyer or a police officer a judge a lawmaker...  but i'm aware of it and am actively working personally to follow the laws, to ride in a manner that is not lawless.

Stop Signs?
yeah. If i don't stop for each one, I am prepared to stop at every single one.

Red lights? I stop and wait, even if there is no cross traffic.  Why? BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.

The nice thing is now in Providence most all the lights will trigger by your presence, even if you're on a bike.  The timer lights (if there are any) well you're stuck.  If you ride super low spoke count wheels with carbon rims and a carbon bike you may not be able to trip the induction coils, but if you have a training/commuter wheel even on a plastic bike and you ride over or stop the bike on the induction coils embedded in the pavement, you will trigger the light in your favor.

Like that crazy old dude on the recumbent.  He ran all the red lights. I caught up to him every time and I wasn't even going that fast and I was waiting for the lights.

Time gained is never worth the risk.

There's right and there's dead right.

You may feel you are right, but if there's a chance you're gonna be dead? yeah well that ain't right no matter what.

Okay now I made a few lightly annotated photos of these two intersections described above.

Okay here's this one.  Blue box is where you have a looong line of stopped cars. plenty of room to pass on the right. Loads of room in fact. Could paint a bike lane in there if you wanted to. There is a light there and the traffic is one way on the cross street.  My direction of travel is the green arrow.  That Yellow Box So that's where we go from two travel lanes into three.  It is narrow as you can see from the satellite shot.  Not much room.  Jumping in behind the first or second car at the light is usually how I proceed through.  Why? well that way I have one car in front acting as a rolling shield, and if I'm riding right behind a car then the car behind me doesn't get the impression that I'm slowing them down at all.  

Now the next big intersection and the one where there was the "encounter" is here

So i'm sitting behind the first car there (a subaru wagon IIRC).  A mini-van is in the right lane (where the white van is in this satellite shot).  These guys filter through the traffic.  It is all cars, parked, end to end all the way back to the intersection pictured above.  I want to turn left.  Onto the one way.
The guys roll through, and one of them rolls into the red box area in front of the car infront of me.

There was room to be next to or behind me and roll through 'together' w/o any animosity or pissing off the cars.  Yes, normally I wouldn't have even said anything and just let everyone else around me judge them for their behavior and hope they could understand that some people are trying.

Was this a worthwhile process? Probably not.  But it i what it is.  You can't change the past, you have to react and move on, you can't plan the future, but you can deal with what you were given at the time.

I've had plenty of confrontations with motorists when i'm taking a whole lane with the trailer.  They ask "is that legal? can you really do that?" well the polite ones do.

some just yell. But, as solobreak used to like to point out, count the number of cars that give you room, that don't yell, that don't try and run you off the road.  And I have, it is refreshing.

it is true (and legal), I can take a lane, more so if there are two lanes of travel in the same direction.  esp if there isn't room for a car to pass safely without changing into the other lane.

I will put away the soap box, and let the internet get back to more trivial stuff.

heddwch
G

yeah... that guy

i'm that guy
but before you read why i say that - read the prequel:
http://www.gewilli.com/2013/05/how-to-turn-left-and-why-i-did-what-i.html

stall speed approaching

pretty close to needing to sound the alarm

more throttle

something

nose down

figure it out

the captain of this thing well he's not so totally unlike that dude with the Millennium Falcon, the unshaven jackass or the tall wookie, take your pick.

nuts

could use a handful of them right about now... need a bit of a fuel boost.

Gonna have to make due with racing home early to get the car to get the girls to get them where they need to go.

Smackdown last night was good.  Derdowski proposed a bit of a route tweak and it was awesome.  I liked it a lot.

10 people showed up for the ride, no Tyler though, no Big Tom or Peng (both at Coll Nats), Becca was turning in her masters or something sort of important.  But we had a good pile of folks and pretty well matched or at least a nice representation of fast enough to make the ride fast and hard.

But yeah - no time for writing, but i'll get an email asking where it is if i don't get something up.  I'll write it up if i get a chance.

maybe

These links...

this one first..
Making Lunch with Pollan and Moss
follow up here:
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/02/a-nutritious-meal-even-faster

make the time
How? Bittman's cook books help hugely to make it happen.  But be careful if you do it right suddenly Wholefoods becomes the cheapest place to buy the food you need for base ingredients.

Oh funny, walking around yesterday there were two women on a bench with 32 oz red drinks in clear cold cups from starbucks.  Skinny one asks the not skinny one "Are this healthy you think?" not skinny one replies "Sure they are made with Green tea, just some sugar in them, so yeah, they are."

Funny sad.

heddwch
G

capped the week off

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.

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

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

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

actual

predicted

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?

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.

Happy Gilmore ‏@_Happy_Gilmore3h

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.

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.

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

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

as a post script...

you should read this: http://mungerruns.blogspot.com/2013/04/in-praise-of-boston.html

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

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.

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.

almost ready

to just pack it in for a while...  frustrating.