days and miles

commute days '09 - 104 (through 10/27) - just hoping for a B- now (140 days of 175)

commute miles - 2288

road miles - 508

'cross miles - 100 (still lame)

mountain bike miles - 9 (really lame!!)

Finally... 100 Days

It took a longer time to get here than I thought it would, that's for sure! I planned on having logged about 140+ days at this point in the beginning. After a late start to the commuting season and the seven or so weeks off from the crash, I'm thinking this isn't too bad. To put it in perspective for myself, I figure that I've now commuted by bike, to work, the equivalent of five months this year. I'm still shooting for hitting at least 140 before the end of the year though. Maybe next year I'll have a shot at 175. We'll see.

New Pics

If you'd like to get a little bit of an idea what the first 'cross race of the season was like, check out my new pics in my "cycling cycling slideshow".

One thing after another...

is all that kept going through my head today in Landon, OH. The cyclocross season kicked off with a very wet and overcast King's 'Cross. What a course! For the first event of the season, it was very technical, very fast and very fun. The course was laid out on a former golf course and it was a great venue.

All of the Cat.4 racers started at the same time making a very large field of 120 fairly amped up guys ready to be turned loose on a course that was getting wetter and slicker by the minute. Having ridden 5 warm-up laps, I felt pretty confident I knew which lines were going to work the best for me. It wouldn't take long to dissuade myself of that idea.

The call-up had me placed squarely in the middle of the huge field... but to the far outside. Not having ridden down the far outside of the opening straight away at speed during warm-ups, I was not prepared for the large dips that nearly pitched me off before I even got out of the opening 150 yard chute. Still, I was feeling pretty good after the first lap, and was still within sight of the leaders. Only one minor spill, but I was still flying, and feeling good.

Then the course apparently became too small for one of my fellow racers. On a slight downhill just past the finish line, and the first barrier, I was riding a fast inside line a bit close to the tape barrier, when psycho-crosser began to overtake me. Apparently not content with simply overtaking me, he ended up running me into the tape and off my bike at about 20 mph. Luckily we had JUST cleared the only real section of gravel on the course. I was up fast but my bike was completely twisted. The handlebars were 180 degrees the wrong way and suddenly seemed very loose. NOT a good thing on a 'cross course. The shifter seemed stuck and one of the front brake calipers was actually bent (sorry Tim !!)

This section was followed by another barrier backed by a steep run-up. This was a bit sketchy as the bike was not shifting right due to a load of grass jammed into the rear derailleur. It only got worse before finally, mercifully getting better. The bars did another twist on me while traversing a very technical section called "the camelback". Imagine riding across the SIDE of a very wet, very unkempt, giant camel's back as it is spitting on your glasses. The off-camber up and down was too much for many riders on the day. Unfortunately, on this same second lap, it proved to be too much for a guy that went down right in front of me while going up the second hump. The bars did the twist again, so I was off and realigning them... again. This would be the last time I'd have the time to do this though not the last time it was needed. At this point thoughts of pulling out were running through my head as I was not completely confident that the stem was going to hold straight. In very short order, the fastest part of the course had me even more concerned as the bars went askew again at the bottom of a fast downhill... while doing about 27 mph! At this point it was getting ridiculous and we were only 1 - 1/2 laps in!

Thankfully at this point the race had sorted itself out and racers were scattered all over the course, so I decided I was just going to settle in and try to ride a smoothly as possible and see what happened. Thankfully the Shamrock Celtic Cross that I'm lucky enough to be riding this season handled very well and proved to be up to task. After the second lap, I only had one more minor spill while trying to make up time. The rest of the race was fairly uneventful.

I finished 15th in my field of about 40 riders, who knows what overall. Mike G. was there to cheer me on and told me that there may have been as few as 25 guys ahead of me. I don't know about that, but on a day like today anything would have been possible. I even had to call out my number for the spotters at the finish line each lap as the earlier crash had my number flapping and unreadable in the wind. Anyway, it was great to run into Mike while warming up and even better to see him do so well in this first race of the season. We got to hang out after our race (the first of the day) and watch/photograph/video the "Keystone Kops"-like antics of the next few races. Today, that might have been as entertaining as the course was fun.

The day came to a fitting conclusion when Mike told me something that a friend and fellow racer relayed to him. Apparently his friend witnessed someone quite literally getting run off the course during our race. Hmmm.... I wonder who that might have been?

In between the two humps of "the camelback" was hazardous to say the least
Are you kidding me? That's clearing high barriers in style.

Bad Start... Good Finish

It was the second Sunday in a row that I've joined Scott B. out at Southeastway Park for a great morning of cyclocross practice. Some of the Nuvo boys showed up and a few new faces bringing the total to ten or so.

Having just gotten the Shamrock back from Tim O., I was excited to get a good ride in with the new steel fork as we had both discovered the lameness of the way-too-flexy carbon Alpha Q when coupled with the super strong Paul's brakes. Let's just say that the new fork is awesome! It looks great and rides even better.

I turned some good, fast (for me) laps and generally felt pretty good. The shoulder's still a bit sore, but the back hurts a lot less and the breathing issues are almost nonexistent. Yeah!

First though, the bad. On our first "hot lap" I got to the top of the steep run-up (the lead 4 or 5 we're still within view!), went for the "flying" 'cross mount, and bang! The saddle went from level to pointing straight up! NOT a good thing one mile into a quick 5.1+ mile sprint. I made the choice to head back to the car for the fix and actually made it back on the course and managed to finish on the same lap (I even caught a few) as everyone else, just WAY behind. Okay, so it could have been better.

I knew by the time I got back to everyone they were going to be ready for the next set of three hot laps... they were, but I was glad, and thankful they were content to take a nice breather in between sets of fast laps. A few had seen what happened to me. So after a quick breather and an even quicker drink, we were off again. This time the really fast guys took off and turned a pretty fast first lap. They were still within sight, but well ahead after the first lap, then I settled in and rode what I felt was a good pace. According to Scott B. they were turning laps somewhere in the 0:7:30 - 0:7:45 range, I was at 0:8:15. All things considered, not too bad. Only four of us even completed the full three laps of the second set. The steep run-up took it's toll I think, zapping the legs and lungs, and the steep downhill caused at least one rider to slide out and crash on the second lap.

All in all, I'd have to say the bike performed as well as these 42 year old legs could make it perform. It looks fast standing still, it feels fast on the course, and apparently helps this old guy even look fast as one of the guys claimed he thought I was noticeably faster than last Sunday. It has to be the bike. I think all my commuting on the fixie since being able to start riding again has made a difference. I'll just hope that this will all translate well to the first race coming up next Sunday.

Lexus Hugger!

I had a strange interaction in the bike shop today with a rather bizarre individual. Let me set the scene here. A quiet morning was interrupted by a woman who came in armed with what I'm sure she felt was righteous indignation and the hope of finding a sympathetic ear. The scene was even worse in real life because we had to be exposed to her ridiculously garish Tommy Bahama-like luau wear. Seriously, it looked like she must have just driven up directly from her Sarasota retirement community with her self important persona convincing her that any right minded individual would surely see things her way. Her get-up and her huge, overly coiffed, late 80's hairdo made it difficult to even concentrate on what she had to say. It started with a few questions about the group rides that leave from the store. Clearly trying to align herself with "bikers" she began asking about where we ride, "Would you ride on a bike path?" No, not typically. Oooh, the excitement was palpable. She mistakenly sensed she may have found an ally. Then we started getting somewhere. "Would people that do the group rides here likely be interested in signing a petition.... AGAINST a bike path?" It was almost surreal, but it got better.

She clearly did not understand that just because I/we wouldn't necessarily want to use the proposed bike/multi-use path, similar to the Monon Trail, doesn't equate to being opposed to it. Apparently children, and families not being able to safely navigate the extemely dangerous stretch of roadway in front of her precious piece of nouveau country does not concern her in any way if it means people will be 16 feet closer to her front door. "What would people want to use it for?" Really? Could she be serious? Oh yes, she followed up with, "Doesn't everyone drive everywhere nowadays anyway?" I had to inform her that, no, indeed there are actually quite a few people, including every person who was then currently engaged or at least eavesdropping on this verbal circus, who enjoy riding their bikes... everywhere.

What a powerful statement it would be if cyclists, of all people, signed her petition against the proposed path! The path is clearly going to encroach on her piece of the American dream. She wants to keep "imminent domain" from removing trees, though she admittedly is not even sure what the actual plans call for. She's afraid to loose the "country feel" of her property. This woman lives off 106th Street and her property backs up to Crooked Stick Golf Course for God's sake! Yes, the same place that just hosted the U.S. Senior Open! Are you kidding me? Seriously! Her house stopped being in "the country", oh, about a decade or two ago. When I tried to politely point this out to her, she just kept plowing ahead with her goofy wrong-headedness. "Who would want to use this path after all?" Oh, I don't know, maybe someone who doesn't want to drive to the Marsh shopping center which happens to be across the street from a Walgreen's, and oh yeah, A BIKE SHOP!!

I'm all for saving trees and environmental stewardship and all that, but don't try to cloak petty, "I want to keep what's mine, mine" selfishness with a sudden, convenient environmentalism. Give me a break! On her way out the door, she just had to fire off one more bit of stupidity, "I suppose I'm from a different generation. I love trees!" My brain screamed, let it go! She's on her way out! She's almost gone! But... I just couldn't (it had gotten rather entertaining I have to admit), and so responded in a soft yell, "If you love trees, then you should love bikes." After making me repeat what I said as she pretended not to hear, I could imagine the wheels churning as she tried to come up with a stinging retort, but all she could muster was, "I love cars!" Whaaat?? Nothing else really needed to be said as she scurried for the cover of her shiny black Lexus.

Like Playing a Round of Golf with Only a Five Iron

Have you ever known anyone who played a round of golf with only a five iron and a few golf balls stuffed into their pocket? I have. They will invariably tell of the skills that are honed and the pure simplicity of the game when unencumbered by all of the latest and greatest golf gadgets known to man. Back when I used to torture myself, thinking I might get "good" at this most maddening of sports, I always thought, "I should do that one day", or, "Wow, are you insane?" Either response driven of course by however I might have done out on the golf course that particular day. I've long since given up golf, but have never lost that very cool image in my mind of walking a course, lazily swinging my five iron like Gene Kelly's cane (ugh, I'm old!) twirling through the air as I stroll from shot to shot, hole to hole, getting better with each stroke.

Fast forward a decade (or two) and I found myself contemplating the "bag-less round" again. This time brought on by cycling of all things. My bicycles take me to many places, and I try to see, and really notice as much as I can (usually)... when I'm not too busy wiping the sweat out of my eyes. Lately my daily rides have been going by a beautiful golf course out in the country and it set me to wondering. I do that a lot while riding. Anyway, I thought, what I'm doing, right now, is the cycling equivalent to the "one club" round of golf. What? How can that possibly be, you ask?

It's the bike. As mentioned previously, I've been riding a fixed gear bike quite a lot lately. Before my accident just over a month ago, I was riding it exclusively for my commutes. My efforts to log the extra miles that I missed while recuperating has dictated that I find new, longer routes to and from work as I try desperately to prepare for the upcoming '09 cyclocross season. This is of course what led me to be riding out in the countryside, adjacent to a golf course... slightly worried that someone as errant off the tee as I once was (and I'm sure still am), was about to plunk me with an errant blast.

How ironic would it be if I were hit by someone playing with only their five iron? Golf's equivalent to the fixed gear bike. A fixed gear bike, some would argue, belongs on the track. Period. The benefits of riding one on the road are debated and sometimes derided by many cycling "gurus". Some riders use them because they're the "cool" thing. Think urban hipster with message-less messenger bag, ultra fashionable cropped-at-the-knee riding pants topped off by a "Save the Planet" tee and a backwards Campagnolo cycling cap. Many, myself included, hope that I'm benefiting from something that I simply enjoy, not for the sake of fashion or because it's cool, but because it's a form of cycling that I had always found intimidating, especially as a means of transportation.

The fixed gear bike does not allow for breaks. There is no seventh inning stretch, no half time, no coasting to catch the breath. You're 100% "on" until you get to your destination. Forget that bit about no coasting and you get anything from a mildly unpleasant jolt to a near hip dislocation as your leg is forcibly jerked up into the air as if under someone else's power. It's a very strange sensation, that whirling, jarring reminder to pay attention.

Approaching a climb on a "fixie" is a bit different than on a standard geared bike too. There are no quick calculations while trying to match some magic gearing combination to the approaching gradient. No thoughts of optimal shift points to maximize speed up the incline. You simply bear down and carry as much speed into the hill as possible and then grind out the last part as the lactic acid burn starts to set in. Simple? Yes. Elegant? Not always. But it sure gets you in tune with where you're at both mentally and physically. Fifteen miles on flat to rolling terrain can seem like Alp d' Huez when the wind is blowing in your face at 20+ mph the whole time. And you just have to deal with it. No searching for that pitching wedge of a lower gear, no golf cart-like alternate path to the destination, just simple determination and concentration.

On the flats, you simply cruise along, mechanically silent, at as high a leg speed as you feel comfortable. Simple, so long as your mind doesn't over-ride what your legs already know... DO - NOT - STOP - PEDALING! You very quickly begin to realize how much coasting is done on a typical ride once you hit the road on a fixie. Let's just say, A LOT. Beware too, the downhill. Even a mild decline can rapidly turn into a whirling dervish of crazily spinning legs that would rival your mom's old Oster blender. Control. You always have to maintain control... always.

Hmm.. the fixed gear bike as transportation... cycling's rough equivalent to the equally oddball 5 iron-only round of golf. I think I may go out in the garage and dust off that five iron... after I practice some more track stands and the oh-so-cool riding backwards! Try that on your old ten speed. Not gonna' happen. Thanks Brad R. for being the inspiration for my fixie fixation!