New Perspective

For the past few months I've been in a blog-funk because I've lost my camera - no idea where it is, and I haven't seen it for several months.  I have an iPhone, but have any of you tried to take a photo with an iPhone while you're riding?  It's pretty dangerous, and I won't endanger any of my cycling mates or myself by trying to take photos while I'm riding.  I can't figure out how to take good photos with the phone, anyway, even when I'm not riding.

However, my daughter, Georgia, left behind her camera for me to use when she headed back to college.  Now I can photographically record cycling-related stuff again on the roll because her camera is small and very easy and relatively safe to operate with one hand.  So now I have a revitalized perspective and am excited to have full photo capabilities again.

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This past Sunday we headed over to Convoy, OH, passing by the wind farm on the IN-OH state line.  Heading east from Ft. Wayne the land lays flat as a table, which usually is a benefit to me.  Hills are not my friend.  We've been in the hills west and north of town the past two weekends, so I was happy to be on the flat again.

 

 The group rides have gotten noticeably faster over the past month, and it's tough for me to hang on the full distance now when I try to ride near the front.  On each of the past two club rides I got to the two-thirds way point and dropped back to draft, only to fall off the back.   

  I've committed myself to riding near the front as long as I can on each ride to help make up for all the drafting I've benefited from over the past several years.  Hugh suggested maybe I don't have to try to make up for all that drafting on each ride.

Not a bad idea.  I hope I can remember that on the next ride.

On Sunday, I fell off the back, but I was able to work my way back up to these two guys, Greg (in the red) and Chuck (in the yellow).  These two guys were early members of the club back in the 70's when it was formed.  They're both still very active in the club and don't miss very many rides.

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I've welcomed another bike into the family - this 70's or early 80's Ross women's bike from our neighbor across the street.   He sold his house and put this out on the curb.  I couldn't resist taking it in and giving it some love and attention.  It was his mother's bike from a long time ago. 

The tires are badly weather-checked.  I think they may be the original tires?  Or at least really, really old as the sidewalls are peeling off of the tire casing.

Mechanically the bike is in excellent condition.  I'm going to clean it up good and put a new saddle and bar tape on it, then let Alex see how she likes it.  We're thinking of giving it to her Little Sister, but I'm going to try to find a smaller bike for her. I think this bike will be too big for her.

 I'm thinking this might be an entry-level road bike for Alex.  She fits really well on the bike, and I'm hoping she might feel more comfortable riding this bike 30 or 40 miles (or more?!?).  Her Cannondale Hybrid bike is terribly heavy, and it is tiring for her to ride for more than 30 miles. 

We'll see.

This weekend we make our annual Labor Day Weekend pilgrimage to Door County, Wisco for our fall bike wing-ding.  I love riding the back roads of the Door, and can't wait to get a chocolate malt from Wilson's General Store.

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In other news, I ran my first 5k race in over 20 years last Saturday.  I didn't come even close to a personal best, but that's not what I'm after.  I've been running regularly with Alex since early April, and I am overjoyed to simply run comfortably again.  I never thought I would feel the wind in my hair again.

Actually, I can't, because I don't really have any hair left.  But if I did, it would feel great. 

How I miss the long hair days of my youth.

Happy riding!

My Job is Done

One of my goals this summer was to ride near the front of our club rides so I can help pull. The last few years I rode near the back, just trying to hold on. This year, though, I've been able ride near the front.

Yesterday I helped pull for 48 miles, either directly into the wind, or into a crossing headwind. Once we got to the 48 mile mark, we turned for home, and had a tailwind for the last 17 miles. The group took off, while I decided to mosey back at a more leisurely pace.

I was happy to ride back alone since I was able to help pull. However, Tim and Julie slowed up a bit, and we had an enjoyable ride back.

On this morning's club ride I realized I'm lucky to have a great group of folks with which to ride.

Happy riding!

Back From Vacation

We spent all of last week up on Lake Vermilion in northern MN fishing. The lake was very warm, and the fish were scattered.

I did get some riding in, and four of us rode on the Mesabi Trail. I was even talked into going down into the Soudan Mine - an abandoned iron mine which is now a MN state park. We were crammed into a cage and dropped down a shaft 3/4 mile into the earth. I'll never do that again.

Those old boys literally worked their fingers to the bone so their descendants could live better lives than they did.

I'm glad to be home, but I miss the nort' woods.

Anaway, happy riding, eh?

I never did get to the bike shop in Nevada City on Friday, but I did get in a great hike over in Empire Mine State Park, which was only a couple miles from the hotel.  The miners (mostly Cornish) dug hundreds of millions of dollars worth of gold in just over 100 years.  They dug 367 miles of tunnels beneath Grass Valley.  Pretty incredible!

Anyway, after getting home last night late, I was able to pull myself out of bed in time to get to today's club ride.  I'm glad I made it - we had a great ride over to Hicksville, OH, then back through Spencerville and then back down to New Haven where we started.

In a chance encounter, the stars aligned and we were able to catch a draft up the hill on Notestine Road behind this Amish buggy.  While buggies generally travel between 11 and 14 mph, with the stout headwind we had today, nobody wanted to venture around this protective shield.  Unfortunately, we turned south after a half mile, away from protection.

I hope you folks out there are gettting in some quality rides.

Happy riding!

On Holiday, Sort Of...

I'm sitting in my motel room in Grass Valley, CA right now, thinking about how lucky I am to be able to be here for work. While I miss my family, I'm enjoying the chance to see a part of the country I've never seen before. To be able to go on to farms and ranches out here is awesome.

I'll be heading back on Saturday, but I'll have a couple hours to myself on Friday. I'm plotting a strategy to get over to the bike shop in Nevada City to rent a bike.

My phone camera decided not to work, so I can't take any photos. This place out here is magnificent!

Today I saw my first-ever tricolored blackbird, western meadowlark, and glossy ibis. In addition, I got to dig in oxisol (really old soil) next to a rice field in the central valley. I could see the coast range far in the distance.

Best of all I am able to meet many of my work peers here in California, Nevada, and Arizona. I can't wait to bring Alex out here - I know she'd love it out here.

Anyway, Happy riding!

Dry, But Pleasant

Record heat and no rain since early April make for tough conditions. Very similar to the summer of 1988.

We had 4 days last week of 100+ degree weather - a first since records were kept in Ft. Wayne.

I overheated on the club ride on Saturday, but recovered for a great ride in cooler temps on Sunday.

Stay cool out there!

 I guess it has been a while since I've posted anything on here.  Life has a funny way of diverting my attention.  I think the fact that I may be in the midst of a mid-life crisis doesn't help either.

Fortunately for my physical and mental health, I've been doing more biking this year than at any point in my life.  My early season, high-mileage rides have given me a tremendous base.  I've been running regularly since April, so my leg strength and post-ride recoveries are shorter than in the past.  And I've been doing as many club rides as I can, because I like riding with people more than riding by myself.

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I had an interesting experience at the 600K brevet on June 2.  After 19 hours of pedaling up steep, steep hills in eastern Ohio, I decided to take a break from my randonneuring plans for a while.  At exactly midnight, I abandoned the ride and checked into a hotel in Coshocton.  Sitting on the hotel bed eating a foot-long turkey sub and swilling a half-gallon of chocolate milk, I knew then and there that was the best decision I've made in a long time.

I dearly love the feeling I get out on the bike for long periods of time, in marginal weather.  At least as much as the next guy.  But I was vastly unprepared for the big hills that never seemed to end.  Since that moment in the hotel room, I feel as if a burden has been lifted from my shoulders.  Will I ride more randonneur rides?  Absolutely!  But I don't feel compelled to do any long rides over 300K.  Maybe this winter I'll get the rando blues again and try for a whole series next year.  Maybe not.

Meanwhile, I intend to ride club rides and continue to build cardiovascular strength, as well as leg and back strength to help make me a better biker.

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 Alex bought me this cactus last fall when we moved into our new house.  This is it's very first bloom.  Since I took this photo, it's produced 22 more blooms.  Each blossom lasts for only a day.

For the past 7 weeks, Alex has been doing a "Couch to 5K" running program.  She's never run before, but she's completed all of the runs on the schedule, with no real problems.  Her first 5K is July 21st, and I'm excited for her.  Unfortunately, I'll be coming back from California that day, so I won't be able to see her run.

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I broke down and splurged for a generator hub, headlamp, and taillight back in May.  It came in handy for the 600K.  Too bad it didn't get me to the end.


 

 This Seculight taillight is really bright.  It has a stand light (it'll stay on when the generator isn't turning) that lasts for several minutes. 

Here's the rando-rig set for action.  Man, I really love riding this bike.  Just the right size.  And it's tight and responsive, yet its 26 year-old chrome-moly frame makes a smooth ride.  I have de-fendered it for club rides.

I've ridden this bike on several 200K rides this spring.  I want to switch the pedals to an SPD-SL type, but nobody makes those pedals with French threads.  I've googled this, and a site I found said the solution is to re-tap the cranks with a 9/16 - 20 die!  I've tried lots of things, but I'm not going to ruin this crankset.  It's way too nice, and the toe clips aren't so bad after all.  I'd like to put fenders on this bike, but there isn't enough clearance from the top of the front wheel to the underside of the fork crown.  Maybe I can find a fork that'll fit this bike (and my budget) so I can install fenders.

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Lately I've been thinking seriously about buying a brand new bike.  I'd like to be able to keep up with the lead riders, who have feather-light carbon bikes.  Just about everyone I ride with here in town has a new (or not-so-old) bike.  

Fortunately, I received my Bicycle Quarterly, and Jan's simple, but eloquent message hit home.  Jan says that, for the most part, bikes are bikes.  While weight is an important factor, it is not the most important.  The most important factor is the power the rider can generate on the bike.  So, I don't need a new bike.  There's nothing wrong with the bikes I have! 

Just the 200lb motor that sits on the bike.  And I'm working at getting more power.

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I hope all you folks out there in the blogosphere are well.  I will try to be a little more regular at posting.  Thanks Ron and Jon for checking with me.

Happy biking!