Rando Ready!

This Saturday, I'll be riding the Nashville (TN) 200K Brevet. Alex and I are heading south Friday afternoon, and right at 7, I'll be departing with the Harpeth Bike Club on their first 200K Brevet of the year.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been adding to my Trek 710, which I bought from Jon, of Two Wheels fame, last summer. What originally attracted me to the bike is the triple TA Specialties crank, the bar end shifters, and the randonneur-style handlebars. As I've put many hundreds of miles (I don't know for sure because up until tonight I haven't had a bike computer on this bike), I've grown to really like it. It is much different than my 1986 Trek 500, which I dearly love, but I believe this will be a much more comfortable bike for long rides. The frame geometry is just a little more relaxed, and the slightly shorter top tube makes it easier for me to reach the handlebars. What bums me out, however, is that I can't fit my 40mm SKS fenders on this bike. I'm wondering if slightly narrower fenders might work, like 35 or 37mm, but that means I'll need to run 25mm tires, which I just bought. I really like my 28mm tires, and if I had the clearance, I'd run 32mm tires on this bike. But they just won't fit.


I added this new Brooks saddle last week, and I have a couple hours on it inside on the trainer. It's still very hard, but two small areas, right where my sit bones meet leather, are just ever-so-slightly-softer than the rest of the saddle. Funny how these saddles work. I've had my other Brooks for two years now, and it's so nice, and I know this will be as nice as that one in a little while. I also added a Topeak Morph pump. I have a CO2 filler with two cartridges in the saddle pack (along with two new tubes and a patch kit and three tire boots). Two new Continental Gatorskin tires were waiting for me on the porch tonight when I got home. They'll go on tomorrow night. After flatting several times on long rides, I've gotten a little paranoid about flats.

I added a new Sigma wired computer - just a basic model. I used to have a wireless computer several years ago, but received a great deal of interference. I don't ever foresee going back to wireless (unless I go with a GPS). Did you folks happen to notice the new, VO front rack? Just a premonition, but I may receive something for my 50th birthday on Wednesday to fit on it.

The old blue Trek - a 1981. It is a sweet ride, and as soon as I change the tires, it'll be ready for its first 200K.

In other developments in Big Oak Land, Alex and I are heading further south after my ride concludes in Nashville. We're heading all the way to Corpus Christi, TX for several days of bird watching, warm temps, and hopefully a little sun. While we've only had winter-like weather here for the last two weeks, it'll be nice to be warm again outside, and it will be really nice to see the sun.

On our way back, we're stopping to visit my blog friends in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It'll be fun to put real faces and voices with the electronic images. And while blogs are a fun way to communicate, there's nothing like talking and joking with real, live people.

Happy riding!