I don't remember when I started making them, might have been since moving East.
But they are somewhat of a regular in the breakfast rotation for a few folks in the house.
I made six of them for the wed ride to Woods Hole and back. Russ and Myles took up my offer and pocketed one each, I stuffed four of them in the jersey pocket, along with two Margarita Cliff Blocks and two chocolate cherry clif shots. The latter remained untouched but the rest was consumed before I got to the house. Add to that four of russ's mini-rice bars.
Bottles started off with iced coffee I brewed at the office on Tuesday. Drank almost two bottles of water with lunch (ham, turkey, pickle, lettuce, chipotle mayo, hot pepper spread on white bread from the Market in Woods Hole), filled them both up again. Dumped one of them out and filled it with iced coffee from Coffee O, added one more bottle of iced coffee at the Starbucks on the Mainland side of the Bourne bridge. We were all empty of water at some place (you can see it on the map if you look closely enough) I drank two more bottles of water there, and left with both full. That I think was about it for the fluids. At the water stop I added a stick of marg blocks for the sodium. Never wound up touching the gels.
So yeah that's the water consumption. It was hot. And very windy on the way home. We were staying cool but at a price.
Back to the sandwich.
English Muffin toasted
grated about 14g of cheddar cheese on it
put one medium fried egg on it
one thin slice of wellshire farms black forest ham (lightly fried in a dry pan to add flavor)
a bit of turmeric and black pepper for a touch of flavor and anti-inflam
extra salt for, well, salt.
break down in calories and "nutrition"
300 calories each
11g fat
520mg Sodium (not counting added salt)
29g carbs
22g protein
Figures are estimations and summed from published nutritional labels (aka who really knows for certain and they probably don't add up to 300 cal exactly).
Very easy to eat, chew and swallow. Except that one time I tried eating while those guys ramped up the pace and I wound up getting some egg up my nose. Managed to snot rocket it out. But for the most part, easy to get down. Total chill in the stomach, no issue. But then provided it is real food my stomach generally survives most anything, kind of lucky. But I've tried a few things and the long rides this year using this sandwich as primary fuel has been great.
I did really eat as much as I could on Tuesday to prepare for the ride.
Before showering (well honestly Russ went to get in the shower) I made dinner. Didn't even change out of the kit. Got home, started cooking. Red Sauce with some tri-color pasta. Had a couple five bowls of that before sleeping. Ate more food in the morning (pancakes, a big batch of fluffy ones), ate a huge container of the pasta for lunch, then a cliff bar (was hungry, had no more food, they are there at the shop) on the way to the TT. Came home from TT and made burritos from scratch (no cans lined with toxic plastic to leach into the food were opened for this meal). Chowed down four burritos (smallish tortillas)...
This morning back to normal, no breakfast, just coffee, burrito bowl from left overs for lunch. Had to TT home because I was late. Into a monster headwind, found a new position on the CX bike that is more aero and stable and comfortable. Probably not a new position but it worked. Made it home in less than 25 minutes on the CX bike, with a backpack, into a headwind. AFTER this week.
Really pleasantly surprised with how well I've responded to the monster ride. Sure it has 10k less feet of climbing than anything Matt Roy has done lately but the headwind... did I mention we had a pretty bitching headwind for the way home?
Can't thank my friends Russ and Myles enough for joining me. Alone it would have been brutal. Avg speed probably would have been a bit lower. A ride like that is made for sharing. There were so many cool things we saw from the Rooster that tried to take out Russ, to the pure New England vistas and harbors and the lighthouses....
It was really really awesome.
Now to read some Lost Cyclists. For some reason that book has been in the to read pile for a while. I thought I started reading it but just couldn't get through it, must be thinking of one of the other books up there in the pile. So far it has been solid. but then i'm not that far into it yet...
heddwch
G
Friday, June 29, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
slipping
behind in the posts and updates.
I'll get around to writing about the big ride soon.
Tonight, the day after ~156 miles I hit the TT. 8 Miles.
Parked at the Corn Crib. Last car parked there. Drove past everyone else headed up. Kellogg was there. Potter too. Eddie O was riding over with them. Three fast old dudes. Eddie's kind of my speed, Potter has only been beaten by Jonny Bold IIRC (i'll look later). Fast. Kellogg? never count that guy out. Genetics and training combined.
I get parked, toss saddle bag on with the $5 bill and the car key, strap the blue tear drop on my head (more like stretch it over my head) and head into the light breeze to the start.
Get there in time. Line up based on last week's times, and fortunately the guy ranking everyone stuck Potter as sweep and Kellogg in front of him. I had a nice couple minute cushion on those two starting in front of Kirk, Derdowski and Eddie.
Legs felt odd, not dead, not sore, actually felt okay.
Plan was to take it easy for the first half. Save the legs. Use the down hill to get the Avg speed up. Started adding power at Subway. Three cars caused me to stop pedaling and move to the brakes over the course of the race, unclipped and used my toe to brush the tires after plowing through a crystaline sea of glass, took a drink of the water bottle on the slight dip before 118 turns south.
And motored. Caught a glimpse of my 1 min man as I turned on to reynolds. Caught up w/in striking distance by the top of Peck (Reynolds still hurt like a monster sonofabitch) but it didn't destroy me like last week. On the descent I got close, not in the draft but I got going fast enough that it wasn't worth the effort to pass.
Until it leveled out. And I cranked and huffed and puffed past. Hit the last turn (lifted a hand to shield my eyes so I could see what was there - nothing -) and then Dan came around. And we sprinted. I dug and dug and dug but ceded a couple bike lengths. I was spent. Not another turn of the pedals in the legs.
19:04. Kellogg wasn't much faster. Potter was just under 18. I hit the third spot on the podium, again.
Fox took home the fat envelope of cash. A lot of folks showed up tonight. Was good.
Felt pretty awesome on the bike honestly. I should do 156 mile rides before a TT more often.
heddwch
G
I'll get around to writing about the big ride soon.
Tonight, the day after ~156 miles I hit the TT. 8 Miles.
Parked at the Corn Crib. Last car parked there. Drove past everyone else headed up. Kellogg was there. Potter too. Eddie O was riding over with them. Three fast old dudes. Eddie's kind of my speed, Potter has only been beaten by Jonny Bold IIRC (i'll look later). Fast. Kellogg? never count that guy out. Genetics and training combined.
I get parked, toss saddle bag on with the $5 bill and the car key, strap the blue tear drop on my head (more like stretch it over my head) and head into the light breeze to the start.
Get there in time. Line up based on last week's times, and fortunately the guy ranking everyone stuck Potter as sweep and Kellogg in front of him. I had a nice couple minute cushion on those two starting in front of Kirk, Derdowski and Eddie.
Legs felt odd, not dead, not sore, actually felt okay.
Plan was to take it easy for the first half. Save the legs. Use the down hill to get the Avg speed up. Started adding power at Subway. Three cars caused me to stop pedaling and move to the brakes over the course of the race, unclipped and used my toe to brush the tires after plowing through a crystaline sea of glass, took a drink of the water bottle on the slight dip before 118 turns south.
And motored. Caught a glimpse of my 1 min man as I turned on to reynolds. Caught up w/in striking distance by the top of Peck (Reynolds still hurt like a monster sonofabitch) but it didn't destroy me like last week. On the descent I got close, not in the draft but I got going fast enough that it wasn't worth the effort to pass.
Until it leveled out. And I cranked and huffed and puffed past. Hit the last turn (lifted a hand to shield my eyes so I could see what was there - nothing -) and then Dan came around. And we sprinted. I dug and dug and dug but ceded a couple bike lengths. I was spent. Not another turn of the pedals in the legs.
19:04. Kellogg wasn't much faster. Potter was just under 18. I hit the third spot on the podium, again.
Fox took home the fat envelope of cash. A lot of folks showed up tonight. Was good.
Felt pretty awesome on the bike honestly. I should do 156 mile rides before a TT more often.
heddwch
G
Photo dump from the trip
Feeling pretty not terrible today. Dunno how the legs will respond to the TT effort but hey, only one way to find out.
Below the fold are the pictures I took. Check Russ's twitter feed or FB page for more
Below the fold are the pictures I took. Check Russ's twitter feed or FB page for more
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
That, was not easy.
Huge respect to those dudes who hit up the full 300k and double centuries. 156 miles today.
Destroyed. If I had managed to eat more regularly (kind of went too long after lunch stop before starting to stuff my face again - and then sort of forgot to eat with 30-40 miles to go) it probably would have been better.
The 20+mph headwind for the return made it fun.
Russ killed it https://twitter.com/#!/rusto88 and documented it. He was a horse. Super strong. Myles also was amazing.
Chad joined us once we got on to the cape and truly was a Corner Cycle fighter escort. Dragging us and gapping us on every hill. Sure, we'd only ridden ~75 miles at the point he found us but still, it hurt to hang on his wheel. But it was nice having a local wheel to follow. And his route advice was very much critical to the success of the ride.
Going to try uploading the few photos i took. Managed to charge the battery but not empty the card. Ah well. Russ got some good ones.
No flats. With the tailwind and downhill in some sections I wish I had road gearing like everyone else. The CX gearing on the Blue Norcross EX was a bit low.
maybe i'll get pictures up tonight. probably won't get words written.
Some how I have to turn these miles into an Opener for tomorrow's TT. The pressure of the title defense, plus the pressure of needing to make 3 of the 4 kind of make it mandatory. Honestly I'm curious what kind of time I can post. Derdowski is certainly going to at least beat me for the overall series this year. He's on form. Eddie O is a factor too.
We'll see what the race of truth reveals tomorrow.
That is of course assuming I can actually get out of bed in the Morning.
Thanks to the guys who joined me and made it happen. Russ esp for making the long drive this morning, and hopefully a safe drive home.
heddwch
G
Destroyed. If I had managed to eat more regularly (kind of went too long after lunch stop before starting to stuff my face again - and then sort of forgot to eat with 30-40 miles to go) it probably would have been better.
The 20+mph headwind for the return made it fun.
Russ killed it https://twitter.com/#!/rusto88 and documented it. He was a horse. Super strong. Myles also was amazing.
Chad joined us once we got on to the cape and truly was a Corner Cycle fighter escort. Dragging us and gapping us on every hill. Sure, we'd only ridden ~75 miles at the point he found us but still, it hurt to hang on his wheel. But it was nice having a local wheel to follow. And his route advice was very much critical to the success of the ride.
Going to try uploading the few photos i took. Managed to charge the battery but not empty the card. Ah well. Russ got some good ones.
No flats. With the tailwind and downhill in some sections I wish I had road gearing like everyone else. The CX gearing on the Blue Norcross EX was a bit low.
maybe i'll get pictures up tonight. probably won't get words written.
Some how I have to turn these miles into an Opener for tomorrow's TT. The pressure of the title defense, plus the pressure of needing to make 3 of the 4 kind of make it mandatory. Honestly I'm curious what kind of time I can post. Derdowski is certainly going to at least beat me for the overall series this year. He's on form. Eddie O is a factor too.
We'll see what the race of truth reveals tomorrow.
That is of course assuming I can actually get out of bed in the Morning.
Thanks to the guys who joined me and made it happen. Russ esp for making the long drive this morning, and hopefully a safe drive home.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
it is ON
I was going to write a sort of how do I prep for a 100+ mile ride.
Talk about the importance of the day before. Look at the tour guys and the eating they do off the bike is prep for the next day.
People think about refueling during and immediately after a ride, but rarely about before a ride.
Sure there is talk but not enough focus. Go into a hard/long ride/race with a full tank. You don't start a road trip with half a tank in a car that has a filler neck problem that you can only trickle fuel into.
Starting with a full tank is the critical element to success. if you're trying to get skinny and don't need to race/ride the next day, go wicked low calorie after the ride. Just enough to function. You'll wind up eating enough over the next few days to top up without having to overload afterwards.
Eat First. Ride later. More I think about riding and fueling and food and what not the more that Lim's stuff seems to jive with what i've found. I don't do well with an empty stomach and once it is empty gels and drink just don't cut it. Always bad. Need something in there, one for the sustained drip of fuel, but two keep shit from sloshing around and saying "HEY DUDE WE'RE EMPTY."
New/old/updated Gel/Blocks whatever energy policy. Eat only w/in the last 2 hrs of the ride. Yeah so if you are riding less than 2 hrs it won't matter. If you're racing an hour or less a heavily caffeinated gel is a perfect IMHO (providing it is filtering through a manageable mass of food) way to start. I watch Cam totally demonstrate this principle on the 'Three Builder' Ride (that wound up as only two). He started in on the Cliff shots 25 miles in. Granted there were a few other confounding issues he was facing, but it was sort of one of those moments where all the past experience crystallizes into a coherent understanding.
Food. Gotta keep the fuel processing but solid, real food. It worked at Great Glen for me. Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Pasta e fagioli soup... yeah that's what I ate. The whole time. A bit of chili. And then I drove home after racing the two man. Boom. Fueling. All about fueling.
Borrowed the Garmin from Jack at Legend so we'll get less lost hopefully. Still haven't managed to make my short hand scribbles yet. Did eat this morning. On the bike, riding in, late. Nutter day here. But focused, busy, driven, with purpose. So. Much. Still. To. Do.
Need to grab some ham and english muffins for the sandwiches tomorrow, and get through a pile of other stuff.
TT is going to be interesting. Nothing like riding all day and then doing a TT. Oh wait. There's a group of people who do it all the time. But then that is what they get paid to do.
CX fueling is different, but I have found something that works for me, when I remember to follow through it. Fuel won't win ya anything but it sure can f'up your race...
Enough of a moment of distraction for the day.
heddwch
G
Talk about the importance of the day before. Look at the tour guys and the eating they do off the bike is prep for the next day.
People think about refueling during and immediately after a ride, but rarely about before a ride.
Sure there is talk but not enough focus. Go into a hard/long ride/race with a full tank. You don't start a road trip with half a tank in a car that has a filler neck problem that you can only trickle fuel into.
Starting with a full tank is the critical element to success. if you're trying to get skinny and don't need to race/ride the next day, go wicked low calorie after the ride. Just enough to function. You'll wind up eating enough over the next few days to top up without having to overload afterwards.
Eat First. Ride later. More I think about riding and fueling and food and what not the more that Lim's stuff seems to jive with what i've found. I don't do well with an empty stomach and once it is empty gels and drink just don't cut it. Always bad. Need something in there, one for the sustained drip of fuel, but two keep shit from sloshing around and saying "HEY DUDE WE'RE EMPTY."
New/old/updated Gel/Blocks whatever energy policy. Eat only w/in the last 2 hrs of the ride. Yeah so if you are riding less than 2 hrs it won't matter. If you're racing an hour or less a heavily caffeinated gel is a perfect IMHO (providing it is filtering through a manageable mass of food) way to start. I watch Cam totally demonstrate this principle on the 'Three Builder' Ride (that wound up as only two). He started in on the Cliff shots 25 miles in. Granted there were a few other confounding issues he was facing, but it was sort of one of those moments where all the past experience crystallizes into a coherent understanding.
Food. Gotta keep the fuel processing but solid, real food. It worked at Great Glen for me. Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Pasta e fagioli soup... yeah that's what I ate. The whole time. A bit of chili. And then I drove home after racing the two man. Boom. Fueling. All about fueling.
Borrowed the Garmin from Jack at Legend so we'll get less lost hopefully. Still haven't managed to make my short hand scribbles yet. Did eat this morning. On the bike, riding in, late. Nutter day here. But focused, busy, driven, with purpose. So. Much. Still. To. Do.
Need to grab some ham and english muffins for the sandwiches tomorrow, and get through a pile of other stuff.
TT is going to be interesting. Nothing like riding all day and then doing a TT. Oh wait. There's a group of people who do it all the time. But then that is what they get paid to do.
CX fueling is different, but I have found something that works for me, when I remember to follow through it. Fuel won't win ya anything but it sure can f'up your race...
Enough of a moment of distraction for the day.
heddwch
G
Monday, June 25, 2012
Power
Totally danced between the storm clouds on the way home tonight even.
Didn't need those fenders.
Looks like the bearings won't be here for the BB30 on the Blue EX until after the Woods Hole ride. A green light to ride. I think I need it. It might destroy me and I might post a 22 min time trial on thursday because of it but I'm guessing it will be good medicine. I suppose it is time to make some of the famous GeWilli map shorthands that Kevin thought were kind of crazy. It is odd having a night off (tonight). At least that is what tonight feels like. Executive decision to order pizza, and I don't have the energy to fight it, sounds not terrible to me. Energy is coming back but I'm lying down on the couch writing this and thinking a nap sounds pretty good. Got some validation of my 'art' and lots of congrats from random co-workers who actually read the daily email and noticed the announcement of my 3rd place and the art on display in the bookstore window. Third in the TT, third in the artshow. Better than the 5th last year. Progress.
Had a not so minor but in reality not unexpected setback, something I know I should have been more prepared for, but I so wanted it to come through and it would have been such a huge boost of fun, challenge and so cool... but it didn't happen. Found out today. Surprisingly crushed by the news. Caught myself off guard with my feelings of deflation. It isn't the end, just a temporal delay. Manageable, yes, disappointing? yes.
I had geared up to cook some easy to chew foods for the oldest with her new appliances in her mouth, but now she's totally fine with it way sooner than they said she would be and that changes things a touch. Pizza tonight sounds good. But i still should stick the dry white navy beans in some water, a little orzo bean soupy saucy thing for tomorrow or wed night might get me motivated... unless it cools way down i'm not feeling like cooking chili... got some peppers (poblano, anaheim, bell) maybe a pile of burrito/taco salad... The gazpacho has been hitting the spot. But next time i think i need to de-skin the red pepper, it managed to escape the blades of the blender, that or i get one of those juicer things and make gazpacho juice (with beets of course can you make juice without beets in the skratch labs era?)
Need to grab some sandwich makings for the ride wednesday. means shopping tomorrow. Bike is ready to go, fellow crazy dudes committed to the insanity, ready. No for the rest to fall into place. Weather, food, scheduling of family, avoiding getting sick (borderline at the moment -time to chomp some raw garlic or something) it'll fall into place, why not? Just takes effort and planning on my part. Like everything. And even then with all that stuff can still fall apart.
I think it is a good thing I never sat down and tried to picture what life would be like at this age when i was way younger.
Feeling like the phone that only gets plugged in long enough to get one bar on the battery. Full charge? Yeah right.
Heddwch
G
Didn't need those fenders.
Looks like the bearings won't be here for the BB30 on the Blue EX until after the Woods Hole ride. A green light to ride. I think I need it. It might destroy me and I might post a 22 min time trial on thursday because of it but I'm guessing it will be good medicine. I suppose it is time to make some of the famous GeWilli map shorthands that Kevin thought were kind of crazy. It is odd having a night off (tonight). At least that is what tonight feels like. Executive decision to order pizza, and I don't have the energy to fight it, sounds not terrible to me. Energy is coming back but I'm lying down on the couch writing this and thinking a nap sounds pretty good. Got some validation of my 'art' and lots of congrats from random co-workers who actually read the daily email and noticed the announcement of my 3rd place and the art on display in the bookstore window. Third in the TT, third in the artshow. Better than the 5th last year. Progress.
Had a not so minor but in reality not unexpected setback, something I know I should have been more prepared for, but I so wanted it to come through and it would have been such a huge boost of fun, challenge and so cool... but it didn't happen. Found out today. Surprisingly crushed by the news. Caught myself off guard with my feelings of deflation. It isn't the end, just a temporal delay. Manageable, yes, disappointing? yes.
I had geared up to cook some easy to chew foods for the oldest with her new appliances in her mouth, but now she's totally fine with it way sooner than they said she would be and that changes things a touch. Pizza tonight sounds good. But i still should stick the dry white navy beans in some water, a little orzo bean soupy saucy thing for tomorrow or wed night might get me motivated... unless it cools way down i'm not feeling like cooking chili... got some peppers (poblano, anaheim, bell) maybe a pile of burrito/taco salad... The gazpacho has been hitting the spot. But next time i think i need to de-skin the red pepper, it managed to escape the blades of the blender, that or i get one of those juicer things and make gazpacho juice (with beets of course can you make juice without beets in the skratch labs era?)
Need to grab some sandwich makings for the ride wednesday. means shopping tomorrow. Bike is ready to go, fellow crazy dudes committed to the insanity, ready. No for the rest to fall into place. Weather, food, scheduling of family, avoiding getting sick (borderline at the moment -time to chomp some raw garlic or something) it'll fall into place, why not? Just takes effort and planning on my part. Like everything. And even then with all that stuff can still fall apart.
I think it is a good thing I never sat down and tried to picture what life would be like at this age when i was way younger.
Feeling like the phone that only gets plugged in long enough to get one bar on the battery. Full charge? Yeah right.
Heddwch
G
power of the druid
Getting to work today without getting hit by a drop of water.
Yeah.
Well I guess that's what you get when the timing works out, any later and it looks like I might have been blown out or washed into the bay. that said being in the basement so far under ground, i'm really not sure what is going on outside, other than what looks like a big red blob blowing over PVD.
So furiously fast eddie O wrote about thursday's TT. Good read. I kind of remember the 19:10 but maybe it was 19:07, no matter.
Honestly I don't think I've been right since the TT. I broke myself in that heat, despite the ice. Have not been right since.
Feeling more normal today, legs didn't feel too bad on the bike today, yesterday wasn't terrible riding but my head was out of it.
Wed is the planned Woods Hole ride. Weather looked not good yesterday, better today, really want to make it happen, not sure. Need a good night sleep tonight, eat a ton of food, get nice and fat, then ride there and hope for the best. Lots of people flaking out. Many with solid reasons, being in Italy, getting sick for 4 days at the end of the week, one who 'really wanted to go' but with fitchburg it wouldn't be smart, fitchburg got cancelled and well, crickets. All good. Two others have [foolishly?] agreed to join in the adventure. So we'll see what happens. totally probably not the smartest thing to do in prep for a time trial the next day, but yeah when have i ever done anything smart.
Nutter productive this AM for some reason. Maybe I've turned the page. Building up for Wed's insane ride.
Staying dry the rest of the day might be a challenge.
heddwch
g
Yeah.
Well I guess that's what you get when the timing works out, any later and it looks like I might have been blown out or washed into the bay. that said being in the basement so far under ground, i'm really not sure what is going on outside, other than what looks like a big red blob blowing over PVD.
So furiously fast eddie O wrote about thursday's TT. Good read. I kind of remember the 19:10 but maybe it was 19:07, no matter.
Honestly I don't think I've been right since the TT. I broke myself in that heat, despite the ice. Have not been right since.
Feeling more normal today, legs didn't feel too bad on the bike today, yesterday wasn't terrible riding but my head was out of it.
Wed is the planned Woods Hole ride. Weather looked not good yesterday, better today, really want to make it happen, not sure. Need a good night sleep tonight, eat a ton of food, get nice and fat, then ride there and hope for the best. Lots of people flaking out. Many with solid reasons, being in Italy, getting sick for 4 days at the end of the week, one who 'really wanted to go' but with fitchburg it wouldn't be smart, fitchburg got cancelled and well, crickets. All good. Two others have [foolishly?] agreed to join in the adventure. So we'll see what happens. totally probably not the smartest thing to do in prep for a time trial the next day, but yeah when have i ever done anything smart.
Nutter productive this AM for some reason. Maybe I've turned the page. Building up for Wed's insane ride.
Staying dry the rest of the day might be a challenge.
heddwch
g
Friday, June 22, 2012
random thoughts on a friday
one thing from the TT that was funny but didn't make the last post... skinsuit.
I grabbed the old short sleeve skinsuit from this photo fame
Light[er] colored and thin from age, it worked on the hot night. And being Verge is still holding up in one piece.
Race finished, I roll back and try to unzip. it is stuck. Zipper is stuck at the collar seam. Will not come undone. I try, Derdowski tries, no dice. Oh boy this is going to be interesting to take off. As it is, it is a struggle to get on and off with the functional zip opening.
I got home only to find the zipper has blown out below the slider. Oops. After a handful of minutes fiddling, I managed to rip one side of the zipper up over the top of the left side and freed myself. Sadly it is time to retire that one, not sure it is worth trying to put a new zipper in there.
also
Kind of sad but telling that a bunch of bike racers talking about staying at a healthy weight, and working hard at it, maybe skipping a beer or two or six or eating a smaller portion or doing something that is considered 'odd' equates to an eating disorder. Trying to stay healthy and thin is wrong? The benefit of being an athlete is that if you starve your self to an unhealthy weight you can't perform. Gotta have fuel to compete.
ah well - skinny is as skinny does.
Similar to the water/hydration theory. Too much is bad, and often worse than too little but you can't do without. Find the balance.
That and after a morning dealing with stuff here, a quick run over to Wholefoods again pre-lunch rush (still sort of insane but lots of samples to offset - nom nom) home to fix some lunch, make black bean soup for dinner, then w/o the car kit up and ride slowly in in the heat. Only a few hours of stuff to deal with here before transitioning and I'm being gross, i tossed a lab coat over the kit. Too hot to put on pants and a long sleeve shirt. Lab coat will work. only for a few hours, not like I haven't worn a kit for a whole freaking day w/o changing it. no. big. deal.
black bean soup is going to be good... nice long bit of time simmering, soaked the black turtle beans last night... can't wait to get home and eat a big bowl. Might have to make some rice to go with it.
heddwch
G
felt like a disaster last night
That TT, oh man did it hurt. Felt horrible. Got the pacing all wrong, started off to fast on the rise at the start, didn't realize it till it was too late, felt okay through the down hill section had one car almost pull out in front of me after the subway, another by 118...
It was hot last night and I left the house about 5pm. Packed the big timbuk2 (i mean you can fit a small person in it, seriously huge) with a full size grocery cooler bag with two big bags of ice, a couple water bottles in with the ice to stay cold and the aero helmet. SO AWKWARD! Esp trying to ride the Paramount in TT mode.
The Paramount was decked out and ready to go. Rear wheel cover, and all. Just a cheap (most aero) clincher I have up front, bladed spokes and all. Not sure if I should just run the other special lace pattern rear and ditch the wheel cover. Maybe that cover isn't doing any good. Was easier with those deep section clinchers, but well, they did pay for CX season last year. Got into the city after what felt like a headwind all the way up the bike path only to have the rubber attachment for the speed sensor decide it had enough of being a stretched out circle and became a line. Plastic bouncing on pavement in traffic isn't my favorite thing to have happen. Fortunately it didn't get run over, and I didn't get run over retrieving it.
What it meant was a bit less of a relaxed meet up at the bike shop. Scramble to get it attached. Zip-ties it was. That and a better wheel magnet and it was back into service. I was very hot by the time I got there. Tomato face. Sucked down some ice water, tossed some ice chips down the skinsuit, got the bike together and we headed out. Kirk showed up on his fancy new Foil with Ultegra Di2 (such a nice bike and it TOTALLY would fit me well), Deano and hit ridley with some stick bars on it joined us, and the three of us rolled out into the heat. We picked up Derdowski on the BLVD and made our way out.
A couple efforts and I was feeling okay bit not great, sort of a mixed bag.
Got there, handed over the $5, got the new series rules reviewed (kind of cool this year nice changes). And I was lined up last. Series winner. Me? Winner? Crazy talk. Except a Bikeworks guy showed up a bit late and lined up after me. Solobreak made an apearance in the purple people eater suit. Burke, new PVC teammate Fox was there and Eddie O. Solobreak looks skinny this year, not pudgy. Burke too, cut and fuzzy, serious. Derdowski? Also, serious. Last year he was frustrated with sucking. This year he's back to being in form. Fortunately he doesn't have the full TT bike disc wheel and helmet. Just some error bars. Burke and Solobreak were riding cannibal with power. Burke's powertap is laced up to some 58 rofl carbon wheels though, serious shit. Eddie O rolled in on a nice new slice, with helmet looking serious. So focused.
I just kept grabbing handfuls of Ice while they were setting the line up, trying to cool down after the ride there. Got good and settled in mostly. I still wasn't feeling super, but not terrible.
We get lined up. I'm behind Kirk. He has no aero stuff other than the Foil, but man that Scott Foil is like a weapon. Green Edge guys are killing it on that frame. 1 min time gaps. I thought maybe with the crap I had on there was a chance I'd put some time into him, enough maybe to catch sight by Reynolds maybe.
At the line I noticed half of the four bolts holding the disc on (supposed to be 8, i lost four once somewhere) were not. So a quick re-arrangement with hope that it will not move around too much, or at least stay attached until i got home was done. Oh well. I am riding a bike from 1986. What should I expect?
Mike M was holding people but man he held me super crooked, sort of distracting but hey it was time to race.
Got cranked up to speed, like I said a bit too quickly. No power meter to tell me I was way over the mark, I didn't need it. I knew. Oops. It was hot, no wind but I managed to keep the heart rate up around the 170 mark for most of the ride. Cranked along, the ride to the Subway at the merge seemed to go by very quickly, the next section was in the bright sun and then there was the woman in the SUV that faked me out of the bars and onto the brakes, but I got through unscathed, and tried to focus on trying to keep the speed up. The little elevation rises hurt more than I expected and the one there before the turn to Reynolds destroyed me. Hurt so much. Was going so slow. Fuck. That and no sign of Kirk. Really? Damn I must be going SLOW. Arg. Hit Reynolds and the slight rise on the chip and seal and I felt like I was going pretty well, only to check the speed and see, nope, am not. Damn.
Blew up again before hitting peck. Had to regroup a bit, made the turn with the hill and I said f'it I have to sprint up this hill, totally blown at the top, but managed to get up to speed and then recover a touch for the rest of the race. Hit the turn around onto 118 into the sun and unloaded every last ounce.
No sign of Kirk but I checked the time and I was coming in under the 20 mark, so there was that.
Looking back at last year Kirk wasn't so slow on his old Cannondale, so I suppose the motivation of having a new bike and having such a nice new bike wouldn't make him any slower.
Results? Eddie O was fastest at 19:10, Derdowski came in at 19:19 and I rounded out the podium with a 19:49. Foley and Kirk tied at 19:59 IIRC? Something like that. Burke was 20:08 maybe. I don't remember what time Fox got though. Compared to last year I should be reasonably happy with that. Esp given the heat (95 or so) lack of wind, and the wheel disadvantage, that and very little intensity lately.
Not so bad. Not Weenar but shit, a couple years ago Derdowski was killing me by MINUTES. Oh well. there is always next week. So much pain though.
I got home wrecked. We headed back, all six of us on the team that showed, and set a decent pace. And pretty soon I was done. No more. I got dropped on the way home. Deano was nice enough to ride with me and put up with my crackedness. The bike path was torture. No wind and I was just dead. Legs had nothing. Not cramping, not really bonked just dead legs. So tired, so destroyed.
Still a bit wasted this morning.
We'll see if the results make it online. If they do I'll pop em up here to share.
Till then -
heddwch
G
It was hot last night and I left the house about 5pm. Packed the big timbuk2 (i mean you can fit a small person in it, seriously huge) with a full size grocery cooler bag with two big bags of ice, a couple water bottles in with the ice to stay cold and the aero helmet. SO AWKWARD! Esp trying to ride the Paramount in TT mode.
The Paramount was decked out and ready to go. Rear wheel cover, and all. Just a cheap (most aero) clincher I have up front, bladed spokes and all. Not sure if I should just run the other special lace pattern rear and ditch the wheel cover. Maybe that cover isn't doing any good. Was easier with those deep section clinchers, but well, they did pay for CX season last year. Got into the city after what felt like a headwind all the way up the bike path only to have the rubber attachment for the speed sensor decide it had enough of being a stretched out circle and became a line. Plastic bouncing on pavement in traffic isn't my favorite thing to have happen. Fortunately it didn't get run over, and I didn't get run over retrieving it.
What it meant was a bit less of a relaxed meet up at the bike shop. Scramble to get it attached. Zip-ties it was. That and a better wheel magnet and it was back into service. I was very hot by the time I got there. Tomato face. Sucked down some ice water, tossed some ice chips down the skinsuit, got the bike together and we headed out. Kirk showed up on his fancy new Foil with Ultegra Di2 (such a nice bike and it TOTALLY would fit me well), Deano and hit ridley with some stick bars on it joined us, and the three of us rolled out into the heat. We picked up Derdowski on the BLVD and made our way out.
A couple efforts and I was feeling okay bit not great, sort of a mixed bag.
Got there, handed over the $5, got the new series rules reviewed (kind of cool this year nice changes). And I was lined up last. Series winner. Me? Winner? Crazy talk. Except a Bikeworks guy showed up a bit late and lined up after me. Solobreak made an apearance in the purple people eater suit. Burke, new PVC teammate Fox was there and Eddie O. Solobreak looks skinny this year, not pudgy. Burke too, cut and fuzzy, serious. Derdowski? Also, serious. Last year he was frustrated with sucking. This year he's back to being in form. Fortunately he doesn't have the full TT bike disc wheel and helmet. Just some error bars. Burke and Solobreak were riding cannibal with power. Burke's powertap is laced up to some 58 rofl carbon wheels though, serious shit. Eddie O rolled in on a nice new slice, with helmet looking serious. So focused.
I just kept grabbing handfuls of Ice while they were setting the line up, trying to cool down after the ride there. Got good and settled in mostly. I still wasn't feeling super, but not terrible.
We get lined up. I'm behind Kirk. He has no aero stuff other than the Foil, but man that Scott Foil is like a weapon. Green Edge guys are killing it on that frame. 1 min time gaps. I thought maybe with the crap I had on there was a chance I'd put some time into him, enough maybe to catch sight by Reynolds maybe.
At the line I noticed half of the four bolts holding the disc on (supposed to be 8, i lost four once somewhere) were not. So a quick re-arrangement with hope that it will not move around too much, or at least stay attached until i got home was done. Oh well. I am riding a bike from 1986. What should I expect?
Mike M was holding people but man he held me super crooked, sort of distracting but hey it was time to race.
Got cranked up to speed, like I said a bit too quickly. No power meter to tell me I was way over the mark, I didn't need it. I knew. Oops. It was hot, no wind but I managed to keep the heart rate up around the 170 mark for most of the ride. Cranked along, the ride to the Subway at the merge seemed to go by very quickly, the next section was in the bright sun and then there was the woman in the SUV that faked me out of the bars and onto the brakes, but I got through unscathed, and tried to focus on trying to keep the speed up. The little elevation rises hurt more than I expected and the one there before the turn to Reynolds destroyed me. Hurt so much. Was going so slow. Fuck. That and no sign of Kirk. Really? Damn I must be going SLOW. Arg. Hit Reynolds and the slight rise on the chip and seal and I felt like I was going pretty well, only to check the speed and see, nope, am not. Damn.
Blew up again before hitting peck. Had to regroup a bit, made the turn with the hill and I said f'it I have to sprint up this hill, totally blown at the top, but managed to get up to speed and then recover a touch for the rest of the race. Hit the turn around onto 118 into the sun and unloaded every last ounce.
No sign of Kirk but I checked the time and I was coming in under the 20 mark, so there was that.
Looking back at last year Kirk wasn't so slow on his old Cannondale, so I suppose the motivation of having a new bike and having such a nice new bike wouldn't make him any slower.
Results? Eddie O was fastest at 19:10, Derdowski came in at 19:19 and I rounded out the podium with a 19:49. Foley and Kirk tied at 19:59 IIRC? Something like that. Burke was 20:08 maybe. I don't remember what time Fox got though. Compared to last year I should be reasonably happy with that. Esp given the heat (95 or so) lack of wind, and the wheel disadvantage, that and very little intensity lately.
Not so bad. Not Weenar but shit, a couple years ago Derdowski was killing me by MINUTES. Oh well. there is always next week. So much pain though.
I got home wrecked. We headed back, all six of us on the team that showed, and set a decent pace. And pretty soon I was done. No more. I got dropped on the way home. Deano was nice enough to ride with me and put up with my crackedness. The bike path was torture. No wind and I was just dead. Legs had nothing. Not cramping, not really bonked just dead legs. So tired, so destroyed.
Still a bit wasted this morning.
We'll see if the results make it online. If they do I'll pop em up here to share.
Till then -
heddwch
G
Random linkage
Tim Noakes on hydration and his new book.
Soap does it really work?
Kenyan Cyclists in the NYTimes
Is it bad that watching this makes me hungry? I've got a soft spot for breakfast... and that british one looks gooooooood, even if it looks decidedly american.
This looks good - just need time to watch it...
Oh and Cav - even more reason to like the guy
Soap does it really work?
Kenyan Cyclists in the NYTimes
Is it bad that watching this makes me hungry? I've got a soft spot for breakfast... and that british one looks gooooooood, even if it looks decidedly american.
This looks good - just need time to watch it...
Oh and Cav - even more reason to like the guy
Thursday, June 21, 2012
gazpacho
Today and for a few days we've got one on the house who can't chew much of anything, and with it so hot out making a hot soup just doesn't seem quite right.
Loaded up with stuff to make a batch of Gazpacho after the orthodontist visit.
I have made it a few times, maybe not since then. And well maybe we'll change it up a touch.
1 28oz can of tomatoes
2 ribs celery (sliced very fine to keep ribs from being noticed)
1 cucumber peeled and seeded
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1/2 seeded and veined jalapeno
1 vidalia onion sliced and soaked in cold water
4 cloves garlic
basil
oregano
splash of brown rice vinegar
juice of one lemon
salt
black pepper
all that into a blender (two batches unless your blender holds more than 64oz of fluid)
back into glass bowl and tossed in 1/4-1/2 cup of good olive oil whisked until smooth and blended and unified and let sit.
It is supposed to sit for a few hours in the fridge, but the girls can't seem to stop eating it.
I will say it does taste pretty damn good.
Also, shopping at wholefoods before lunch hour on a weekday is a different of an experience than I'm used to... people wise. good number of awesome samples out today though so there was that, almost offset the crazy.
Loaded up with stuff to make a batch of Gazpacho after the orthodontist visit.
I have made it a few times, maybe not since then. And well maybe we'll change it up a touch.
1 28oz can of tomatoes
2 ribs celery (sliced very fine to keep ribs from being noticed)
1 cucumber peeled and seeded
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1/2 seeded and veined jalapeno
1 vidalia onion sliced and soaked in cold water
4 cloves garlic
basil
oregano
splash of brown rice vinegar
juice of one lemon
salt
black pepper
all that into a blender (two batches unless your blender holds more than 64oz of fluid)
back into glass bowl and tossed in 1/4-1/2 cup of good olive oil whisked until smooth and blended and unified and let sit.
It is supposed to sit for a few hours in the fridge, but the girls can't seem to stop eating it.
I will say it does taste pretty damn good.
Also, shopping at wholefoods before lunch hour on a weekday is a different of an experience than I'm used to... people wise. good number of awesome samples out today though so there was that, almost offset the crazy.
Time trial time
We had a team photo/meeting/beer drinking party last night. Headed down there after the bike shop, stood around in the new kit until everyone was there and changed and ready to take the picture. I think I've got a good number of guys planning on coming to the TT tonight. And a few pretty pointedly said they are gunning for me. Burke didn't like losing to me and he's not fat this year, fit lean trim and, sure while old, he's still pretty competitive. Derdowski also pretty much said I'm in trouble, which might be but i do have the slight advantage with the fact he doesn't have the TT bike anymore. Burke's not running his TT bike but he'll have some nice deep section carbon Rolfs. PRESSURE.
And of course we've got Fox with his Tri bars on his BMC, and he's always a factor. The old paramount is what it is, and the wheel covers aren't ideal but they work [better than anything else i have]. Yeah yeah I should have picked up some road tubulars and glued em up to the CX wheels. But it is just a road TT. A little series.
I am not headed out early this week. Too hot. Doing a full interval with a backpack on is less than ideal. Not so much fun. Save that for later.
heddwch
G
And of course we've got Fox with his Tri bars on his BMC, and he's always a factor. The old paramount is what it is, and the wheel covers aren't ideal but they work [better than anything else i have]. Yeah yeah I should have picked up some road tubulars and glued em up to the CX wheels. But it is just a road TT. A little series.
I am not headed out early this week. Too hot. Doing a full interval with a backpack on is less than ideal. Not so much fun. Save that for later.
heddwch
G
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
already wednesday
Sort of crazy.
The last few mornings schedules have been such that I've been at home for a bit. Instead of reading the whole internet in my bathrobe drinking coffee, I've been working on the fleet.
Started this weekend with the swapping of the rim on the rear commuter wheel. At first I was dismayed that three of the nipples have pulled through and cracked the rim before the brake track wore through, but yesterday morning showing my brother i noticed a 'void' in the rim surface, oops, that's not a void, that is a hole, and a finger nail easily makes it bigger. WINNAR. I wore through the rim (in a handful of spots). I guess I swapped it at the right time. Unfortunately, despite taking extreme care with the new rim and solid undamaged packaging from the supplier the new rim had a big divot in it that I didn't notice until I had it laced and in the truing stand. Not just an easily tapped out ding in the clincher seat, it actually deformed the inner base a bit. Bummer. Oh well. I borrowed the loaner rear from the shop in the mean time. Monday I didn't ride it though. I headed in on the Klein. Rode hard, max effort and intensity on the way in. Way home was crazy windy and with the 25mph headwind I tried to see how long I could hold my speed over 25mph, just playing in the wind. Fewer hills now with the bike path but I get the birds back and the headwind again.
Tuesday morning I spent some more time and officially retired the Klein for the season. Reloaded the Blue in prep for the Woods Hole and back adventure on Wed next week. Bottle cages and tires switched over. After riding the Klein for a bit this feels like a freaking truck. Sort of like going from an S8 to a Q7. The CX bike is definitely slower. Even with the exact same tires and wheels. But then I have 46c-c bars on it jacked to the roof. Off road handling is superbe but the position is sort of, how do you say, less than ideal for the road.
Still it is a great riding bike, and not terribly heavy. Not svelte, esp with the 105 STI but hey it works.
Yesterday morning I also started getting the Paramount back into TT mode. Moved the aero bars in a bit closer to the stem and stuck a sort of aero front wheel on. Put a bit of lube on the chain. This morning I popped some old take off v-brake pads and holders on the front brake and attached the disc wheel to the wind-trainer wheel. Heavyish 32 spoke rear wheel, but the bearings run super smooth and the disc cover isn't light and there aren't any hills to note on the course so I'll tell myself the flywheel is more important than light weight.
And once together - aired up the tires (Schwalbe Ultremo DDs) and headed in. Felt fast. Rolled well, and even with the narrow bars it was very comfortable with the backpack on to hold an acceptable speed, but i noticed the hr was steady at 130. A bit pointless to ride in like that and the slight tailwind helped maybe. I didn't want to push it today, at least on the way in.
Need to dig out the helmet for tomorrow's first TT. Four weeks this year. 5th week is a 2 man TT. Not sure how he's going to run the series, break it down traditionally or do it all together. I'm sort of slightly bummed that i can't weasel my way to the middle/front of the start line. Winning the series over all (thanks to folks like Bold and Singmaster only showing once or twice) sort of means I probably need to start in the back. We'll see what happens. Of course the weather is going to be nice and warm. Higher temps = lower density air right? humidity looks to be plummeting through the day as well. The new black team kit might get ditched in favor of the old tax man short sleeve skinsuit. That and if it really is going to be that warm I might load up the backpack with ice like I did last year for cooling down. Too bad about the kit - the blue stripe on the shorts matches the Paramount very well.
At least there isn't any rain forecast, yet.
The Croll is going to be retiring AGAIN. Hanging it up soon. There's a replacement for it on order. Another cross bike, aluminum... a Blue. Still much debate about crankset. So tempted to dig in for a Dura-ace but even getting a pretty solid deal on it, so expensive. So. Expensive. Might just stick with the short sticks and keep the weight and advantage of the BB30 and get either a Red or Force crankset for the EX and move the S900 crank over to the commuter. Time to order more bearings though.
Good write up on the Lance stuff at Outside if you haven't read it.
Classical KingFM in the office today King.org
Next up on the bike ressurection list is my wife's old GT avalanche. it is set up as a commuter with full coverage fenders and everything... since it fits the oldest now, it is a better bike to be riding places and locking up than the Santa Cruz built Bontrager Race/
BB30 bearing order going in, way cheaper than you can find other places, i'm ordering more for myself this time... can always add a few more if you need a pair or two and have my email and have a way to get them locally when they get here.
heddwch
G
The last few mornings schedules have been such that I've been at home for a bit. Instead of reading the whole internet in my bathrobe drinking coffee, I've been working on the fleet.
Started this weekend with the swapping of the rim on the rear commuter wheel. At first I was dismayed that three of the nipples have pulled through and cracked the rim before the brake track wore through, but yesterday morning showing my brother i noticed a 'void' in the rim surface, oops, that's not a void, that is a hole, and a finger nail easily makes it bigger. WINNAR. I wore through the rim (in a handful of spots). I guess I swapped it at the right time. Unfortunately, despite taking extreme care with the new rim and solid undamaged packaging from the supplier the new rim had a big divot in it that I didn't notice until I had it laced and in the truing stand. Not just an easily tapped out ding in the clincher seat, it actually deformed the inner base a bit. Bummer. Oh well. I borrowed the loaner rear from the shop in the mean time. Monday I didn't ride it though. I headed in on the Klein. Rode hard, max effort and intensity on the way in. Way home was crazy windy and with the 25mph headwind I tried to see how long I could hold my speed over 25mph, just playing in the wind. Fewer hills now with the bike path but I get the birds back and the headwind again.
Tuesday morning I spent some more time and officially retired the Klein for the season. Reloaded the Blue in prep for the Woods Hole and back adventure on Wed next week. Bottle cages and tires switched over. After riding the Klein for a bit this feels like a freaking truck. Sort of like going from an S8 to a Q7. The CX bike is definitely slower. Even with the exact same tires and wheels. But then I have 46c-c bars on it jacked to the roof. Off road handling is superbe but the position is sort of, how do you say, less than ideal for the road.
Still it is a great riding bike, and not terribly heavy. Not svelte, esp with the 105 STI but hey it works.
Yesterday morning I also started getting the Paramount back into TT mode. Moved the aero bars in a bit closer to the stem and stuck a sort of aero front wheel on. Put a bit of lube on the chain. This morning I popped some old take off v-brake pads and holders on the front brake and attached the disc wheel to the wind-trainer wheel. Heavyish 32 spoke rear wheel, but the bearings run super smooth and the disc cover isn't light and there aren't any hills to note on the course so I'll tell myself the flywheel is more important than light weight.
And once together - aired up the tires (Schwalbe Ultremo DDs) and headed in. Felt fast. Rolled well, and even with the narrow bars it was very comfortable with the backpack on to hold an acceptable speed, but i noticed the hr was steady at 130. A bit pointless to ride in like that and the slight tailwind helped maybe. I didn't want to push it today, at least on the way in.
Need to dig out the helmet for tomorrow's first TT. Four weeks this year. 5th week is a 2 man TT. Not sure how he's going to run the series, break it down traditionally or do it all together. I'm sort of slightly bummed that i can't weasel my way to the middle/front of the start line. Winning the series over all (thanks to folks like Bold and Singmaster only showing once or twice) sort of means I probably need to start in the back. We'll see what happens. Of course the weather is going to be nice and warm. Higher temps = lower density air right? humidity looks to be plummeting through the day as well. The new black team kit might get ditched in favor of the old tax man short sleeve skinsuit. That and if it really is going to be that warm I might load up the backpack with ice like I did last year for cooling down. Too bad about the kit - the blue stripe on the shorts matches the Paramount very well.
At least there isn't any rain forecast, yet.
The Croll is going to be retiring AGAIN. Hanging it up soon. There's a replacement for it on order. Another cross bike, aluminum... a Blue. Still much debate about crankset. So tempted to dig in for a Dura-ace but even getting a pretty solid deal on it, so expensive. So. Expensive. Might just stick with the short sticks and keep the weight and advantage of the BB30 and get either a Red or Force crankset for the EX and move the S900 crank over to the commuter. Time to order more bearings though.
Good write up on the Lance stuff at Outside if you haven't read it.
Classical KingFM in the office today King.org
Next up on the bike ressurection list is my wife's old GT avalanche. it is set up as a commuter with full coverage fenders and everything... since it fits the oldest now, it is a better bike to be riding places and locking up than the Santa Cruz built Bontrager Race/
BB30 bearing order going in, way cheaper than you can find other places, i'm ordering more for myself this time... can always add a few more if you need a pair or two and have my email and have a way to get them locally when they get here.
heddwch
G
Monday, June 18, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Off loading coal
Yesterday on the way in there was a different coal ship. It had a different configuration to unload cargo than normally I see. It was an easy ride. I left early, heart rate was 56 heading off onto the path, kept it in the 60-80 range pretty much all the way in. Slow but I got in to work on time.
This ship had a combination crane and conveyor. Usually I see these ships unloading coal with either cranes or an autofeed conveyor. This had a cranes on deck, hoppers on deck and a conveyor to deposit the cargo on the dock.
When I made my way home they were still at it. But I had to grab a few other photos, baby swans and other stuff.
Horizon is wacked but whatever - grumpy old man don't give a shit much lately, happy to collect what I can.
This ship had a combination crane and conveyor. Usually I see these ships unloading coal with either cranes or an autofeed conveyor. This had a cranes on deck, hoppers on deck and a conveyor to deposit the cargo on the dock.
Horizon is wacked but whatever - grumpy old man don't give a shit much lately, happy to collect what I can.
Shop excitement
Yesterday - matt opened the side door and w/in 10 minutes we had a bird fly in.
Awesome. Can't leave the bird in there overnight (alarm motion sensors probably would get tripped).
Wasn't just a common bird either.
It tried to fly out into the sun through the lights. It didn't work. And the big beams were confusing it. So we tried turning them off - the day was so gorgeous and bright I had hopes that it would just fly back out the door. Nope, that was too low of an altitude.
By 11am it was still in there. 2 hrs of flying around it had picked one bay in the roof line. So we turned the lights back out, Fred fashioned a net with the tire hook, an old wire bead tire and a garbage bag. I had a broom and Matt grabbed a headlight and we chased it around trying to catch it. It was getting tired.
After a few near misses it found a corner in the rafters above a junction box, exhausted, laid down with wings spread out. I grabbed the ladder and a few blue shop rags and managed to gather it up, take it outside and set it free.
We joked after admonitions of 'be careful' and 'don't hurt it' that it would get outside but be so tired that a cat was going to eat it. It flew off, so I'm going to pretend that it is okay. It was cool to see the woodpecker up close like that. Cool bird.
Awesome. Can't leave the bird in there overnight (alarm motion sensors probably would get tripped).
It tried to fly out into the sun through the lights. It didn't work. And the big beams were confusing it. So we tried turning them off - the day was so gorgeous and bright I had hopes that it would just fly back out the door. Nope, that was too low of an altitude.
By 11am it was still in there. 2 hrs of flying around it had picked one bay in the roof line. So we turned the lights back out, Fred fashioned a net with the tire hook, an old wire bead tire and a garbage bag. I had a broom and Matt grabbed a headlight and we chased it around trying to catch it. It was getting tired.
After a few near misses it found a corner in the rafters above a junction box, exhausted, laid down with wings spread out. I grabbed the ladder and a few blue shop rags and managed to gather it up, take it outside and set it free.
We joked after admonitions of 'be careful' and 'don't hurt it' that it would get outside but be so tired that a cat was going to eat it. It flew off, so I'm going to pretend that it is okay. It was cool to see the woodpecker up close like that. Cool bird.
photos from the last few days
Thursday and Yesterday to be specific.
Best part of the bike path is being able to capture it with the camera. Thursday I played the game, but only wound up catching the wrong one, a good one to catch up to, one I haven't seen in a bit but all good, hard work for the first half, chill and conversational for the second. And yes. Rocks in the trailer, change of clothes, lunch, laptop, and other stuff... possible to fit it all in the big messenger bag but not the backpack. And yes. I put rocks in it.
Best part of the bike path is being able to capture it with the camera. Thursday I played the game, but only wound up catching the wrong one, a good one to catch up to, one I haven't seen in a bit but all good, hard work for the first half, chill and conversational for the second. And yes. Rocks in the trailer, change of clothes, lunch, laptop, and other stuff... possible to fit it all in the big messenger bag but not the backpack. And yes. I put rocks in it.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
The Appologists
I'm going to guess that everyone who happens to click here has heard about the USADA's little 15 page document charging a pile of people with doping, including and to many people the only important one to them, Lance.
Amateur experts on the field of cycling, many stanch supporters of Lance, have been saying something lately that just bugs the living shit out of me.
"If everyone else was doping, Lance's doping just leveled the playing field and allowed his genetic superiority to keep him on top."
Loosely or something to that effect. That isn't a direct quote from anyone, just my attempt to sum up a general feeling of acceptance. The willingness to let it go just because "everyone else was doing it" just doesn't sit well with me. It shouldn't sit well with anyone who has a shred of moral fiber, and ethical purpose to their core. It is wrong.
It bothers me to suggest people let it all be washed under the bridge. Lets move on. Sure, who cares if he doped. It will do more damage to the sport if his titles are stripped from him.
I disagree. I think it will do the sport a world of good for that to happen. There needs to be some definitive visible, oh shit i don't want to take that risk, deterrent. That and all the rumblings seem to point to Lance as the Omerta king. The Godfather of Doping.
When you go after the mob boss, the head dude the Godfather, you don't fuck around with little shit. You get your ducks in a row. Your evidence air tight. And in many cases you don't just go for one, you go for the whole round table, all the heads of the families. At least that what I see in the movies. And we know the movies are all absolutely unquestionably a reflection on real life.
The spectrum of commentary on the announcement yesterday is interesting. Many friends are very outspoken opponents of PED use. But I have come up against the "so what, why worry about it." That attitude bothers me. Maybe I'm just too, stuck on doing the right thing. I do follow the rules of the road on the bike. I don't run red lights, I slow to the point where I can stop if I have to stop at Stop Signs and I always make an effort to wait my turn at 4 way stop sign intersections. I am atypical. I acknowledge that.
Anyway, pass the popcorn, it is going to be an interesting pile of drama unfolding how ever it unfolds.
G
Amateur experts on the field of cycling, many stanch supporters of Lance, have been saying something lately that just bugs the living shit out of me.
"If everyone else was doping, Lance's doping just leveled the playing field and allowed his genetic superiority to keep him on top."
Loosely or something to that effect. That isn't a direct quote from anyone, just my attempt to sum up a general feeling of acceptance. The willingness to let it go just because "everyone else was doing it" just doesn't sit well with me. It shouldn't sit well with anyone who has a shred of moral fiber, and ethical purpose to their core. It is wrong.
It bothers me to suggest people let it all be washed under the bridge. Lets move on. Sure, who cares if he doped. It will do more damage to the sport if his titles are stripped from him.
I disagree. I think it will do the sport a world of good for that to happen. There needs to be some definitive visible, oh shit i don't want to take that risk, deterrent. That and all the rumblings seem to point to Lance as the Omerta king. The Godfather of Doping.
When you go after the mob boss, the head dude the Godfather, you don't fuck around with little shit. You get your ducks in a row. Your evidence air tight. And in many cases you don't just go for one, you go for the whole round table, all the heads of the families. At least that what I see in the movies. And we know the movies are all absolutely unquestionably a reflection on real life.
The spectrum of commentary on the announcement yesterday is interesting. Many friends are very outspoken opponents of PED use. But I have come up against the "so what, why worry about it." That attitude bothers me. Maybe I'm just too, stuck on doing the right thing. I do follow the rules of the road on the bike. I don't run red lights, I slow to the point where I can stop if I have to stop at Stop Signs and I always make an effort to wait my turn at 4 way stop sign intersections. I am atypical. I acknowledge that.
Anyway, pass the popcorn, it is going to be an interesting pile of drama unfolding how ever it unfolds.
G
CHOCOLATE CAKE DAD IS GREAT
So You might have to click it over to Youtube to watch. So worth it.
So
worth
it
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Bikes should be silent
Creaks though are often the hardest to diagnose and rarely is it easy to figure them out remotely.
Last season at Plymouth the MIT gang of kids was taking turns riding one of their bikes... seemed odd and instilled the wtf curiosity response from me as a mechanic, so I ambled over, dirty orange suit and all.
A sounds, from the BB/crank/pedal area. A causal hands off analysis suggested to me that it was the bottom bracket moving around a tiny bit. Best thing for that is plumbers pipe compound, not the tape, not anti-seize, not loc-tite, not Park or wheelbearing grease. I can go on for a long time explaining why. Maybe some other time, bottom line it is thick, stays thick, doesn't wash off, can't be displaced by pressure washer, increases friction in a good way while still being easily removed. Now everything has gone to Gary Klein's answer to the bottom bracket. in the 80s (maybe even had em in the '70s) he had special bottom bracket spindles made and used a bearing that you pressed and loctited into place (green stuff) and then put the spindle in (well kind of at the same time). WAAAAY ahead of the game. Someone had to be first. Guess it might as well be an MIT kid.
So this creaking. Turned out not to be the BB but a loose chainring bolt or two.
That bit of mechanical curiosity led to a pretty cool collaboration and actually some art work that received some level of award. Honestly it even impresses me how well it turned out and if you're in PVD sometime next week and want to see it, head over to the Brown Bookstore and check out the window display (one week only). Looking at an image here on a screen is very different than having the image physically printed, sort of not unlike looking at unclothed models on the intertubes and then having a real live one you can touch and interact with in the same room. Digital just can't compare. Not much different than trying to figure out a creak w/o actually putting the bike in the stand, test riding, back in the stand. Some things are just better in person.
Kent has a great story up right now. Striking, but not surprising, was his linking Tom and Ray (two MIT grads btw) with the late Saint Sheldon Brown. Seems so natural in a why didn't I think of that first. Saint Sheldon might have been the greatest remote diagnostician bikes have ever seen, on the same level as Tom and Ray. Sheldon was one of the most active internet guys in the way back machine. Way back before everyone had it in their pocket.
I had been a pretty faithful listener to Car Talk. Long before I was turning wrenches in cars. I think once i actually became a competent mechanic fixing stuff on my car their show changed a bit, both in format and I had less interest honestly. We used to have it on the radio in the bike shop in Michigan. The NPR station would run the show at some point during the day on the weekends and that row of three work stands would actually stop busting each others balls and listen and laugh for that hour. We'd still get the flats changed the bikes built the tune-ups done, but it changed the tone.
We weren't taking repairs in on the computer, getting someone set up with a work order didn't involve adding them to a database, then searching for the proper field, no, we had the Sutherland tags. Like these. In less than a minute you had the whole tag written up, the wall board with the prices was easy and clear for customer and mechanic writing it up to see, number went on the bike, slip went in the rack on the wall. You could only fit so many slips per day, once that was full, move on. We only ever had a week's worth of slots but during the peak there was a couple nails on the wall next to it that we could put a few more days out on.
Troubleshooting microscopes and fixing them really isn't much different. It is always easiest to fix when you can see and reproduce the problem and then follow a matrix of options of possible solutions. I tried to explain the process of fixing one of the TEMs to someone, but realized quickly that it was pretty complex and mostly instinct and intuition. Brain took over, and it was fixed.
The rain may be responsible for today's writing. Could be that I have the day off at home, with the girls, they are sleeping, E went off to work, dog is sleeping on the couch. Two quad electric Moka pot cups are consumed and the sound of the rain on the pavers out front, and the drumming of the rain on the roof over the dinner table must have some sympathetic harmony in my brain. I like the rain, but it is sort of putting a kink in a few plans for the day.
It is what it is, and is likely a good day to rebuild the blown out rear wheel. This will be the third rim going on this 105 hub. It is a beefy, wide, strong, rim. A Dyad. The nice thing is it has the same ERD as the rim on there now, so i can just use the same spokes (the tied and soldered ones) and cross them over. Starting from scratch I might have gone with a different rim, maybe a deep V or something, but all in all this should be a bit more bullet proof, and well, we'll see. I almost wore out the sidewall on the other rim before the spokes pulled through. Not quite.
Mechanical Wed I guess.
heddwch
G
Last season at Plymouth the MIT gang of kids was taking turns riding one of their bikes... seemed odd and instilled the wtf curiosity response from me as a mechanic, so I ambled over, dirty orange suit and all.
A sounds, from the BB/crank/pedal area. A causal hands off analysis suggested to me that it was the bottom bracket moving around a tiny bit. Best thing for that is plumbers pipe compound, not the tape, not anti-seize, not loc-tite, not Park or wheelbearing grease. I can go on for a long time explaining why. Maybe some other time, bottom line it is thick, stays thick, doesn't wash off, can't be displaced by pressure washer, increases friction in a good way while still being easily removed. Now everything has gone to Gary Klein's answer to the bottom bracket. in the 80s (maybe even had em in the '70s) he had special bottom bracket spindles made and used a bearing that you pressed and loctited into place (green stuff) and then put the spindle in (well kind of at the same time). WAAAAY ahead of the game. Someone had to be first. Guess it might as well be an MIT kid.
So this creaking. Turned out not to be the BB but a loose chainring bolt or two.
That bit of mechanical curiosity led to a pretty cool collaboration and actually some art work that received some level of award. Honestly it even impresses me how well it turned out and if you're in PVD sometime next week and want to see it, head over to the Brown Bookstore and check out the window display (one week only). Looking at an image here on a screen is very different than having the image physically printed, sort of not unlike looking at unclothed models on the intertubes and then having a real live one you can touch and interact with in the same room. Digital just can't compare. Not much different than trying to figure out a creak w/o actually putting the bike in the stand, test riding, back in the stand. Some things are just better in person.
Kent has a great story up right now. Striking, but not surprising, was his linking Tom and Ray (two MIT grads btw) with the late Saint Sheldon Brown. Seems so natural in a why didn't I think of that first. Saint Sheldon might have been the greatest remote diagnostician bikes have ever seen, on the same level as Tom and Ray. Sheldon was one of the most active internet guys in the way back machine. Way back before everyone had it in their pocket.
I had been a pretty faithful listener to Car Talk. Long before I was turning wrenches in cars. I think once i actually became a competent mechanic fixing stuff on my car their show changed a bit, both in format and I had less interest honestly. We used to have it on the radio in the bike shop in Michigan. The NPR station would run the show at some point during the day on the weekends and that row of three work stands would actually stop busting each others balls and listen and laugh for that hour. We'd still get the flats changed the bikes built the tune-ups done, but it changed the tone.
We weren't taking repairs in on the computer, getting someone set up with a work order didn't involve adding them to a database, then searching for the proper field, no, we had the Sutherland tags. Like these. In less than a minute you had the whole tag written up, the wall board with the prices was easy and clear for customer and mechanic writing it up to see, number went on the bike, slip went in the rack on the wall. You could only fit so many slips per day, once that was full, move on. We only ever had a week's worth of slots but during the peak there was a couple nails on the wall next to it that we could put a few more days out on.
Troubleshooting microscopes and fixing them really isn't much different. It is always easiest to fix when you can see and reproduce the problem and then follow a matrix of options of possible solutions. I tried to explain the process of fixing one of the TEMs to someone, but realized quickly that it was pretty complex and mostly instinct and intuition. Brain took over, and it was fixed.
The rain may be responsible for today's writing. Could be that I have the day off at home, with the girls, they are sleeping, E went off to work, dog is sleeping on the couch. Two quad electric Moka pot cups are consumed and the sound of the rain on the pavers out front, and the drumming of the rain on the roof over the dinner table must have some sympathetic harmony in my brain. I like the rain, but it is sort of putting a kink in a few plans for the day.
It is what it is, and is likely a good day to rebuild the blown out rear wheel. This will be the third rim going on this 105 hub. It is a beefy, wide, strong, rim. A Dyad. The nice thing is it has the same ERD as the rim on there now, so i can just use the same spokes (the tied and soldered ones) and cross them over. Starting from scratch I might have gone with a different rim, maybe a deep V or something, but all in all this should be a bit more bullet proof, and well, we'll see. I almost wore out the sidewall on the other rim before the spokes pulled through. Not quite.
Mechanical Wed I guess.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
morning commute with coffee
Commute with the coffee.
panda portrait style
Goal was to capture the trailer (evidence that I was towing trailer on the way to work i the lack of backpack/messenger bag) and i just barely did (under the left arm).
Caught a glimpse of a kitted up commuter catching (in kit with backpack, on a carbon specialized w/full size frame pump) me, he passed and proceeded to up the tempo. My chill morning ride at 10-12 mph up the false flat with a HR around 80 was just a warm up. He went around and I sat about 20 yards back matching pace. Which cranked up to about 24 and was never slower than 20. And yes. I put rocks in there today. Couldn't pass up the ride or the unwitting training partner.
He pulled off the path just as a co-worker caught me. M saw the trailer and was gaining ground until I picked up the pace. He was dripping with sweat after the catch. And not having seen him on the path in a while we rode in, chill-like chatting. Except for the little hill, drilled it up that. Felt good on the bike.
Applying more coffee now.
panda portrait style
Goal was to capture the trailer (evidence that I was towing trailer on the way to work i the lack of backpack/messenger bag) and i just barely did (under the left arm).
Caught a glimpse of a kitted up commuter catching (in kit with backpack, on a carbon specialized w/full size frame pump) me, he passed and proceeded to up the tempo. My chill morning ride at 10-12 mph up the false flat with a HR around 80 was just a warm up. He went around and I sat about 20 yards back matching pace. Which cranked up to about 24 and was never slower than 20. And yes. I put rocks in there today. Couldn't pass up the ride or the unwitting training partner.
He pulled off the path just as a co-worker caught me. M saw the trailer and was gaining ground until I picked up the pace. He was dripping with sweat after the catch. And not having seen him on the path in a while we rode in, chill-like chatting. Except for the little hill, drilled it up that. Felt good on the bike.
Applying more coffee now.
Monday, June 11, 2012
long time - taper
so rarely do i check analytics, but for some reason just before posting the note about Mark, i saw it, saw that it was a very negative trend. Negative as in scientifically going to a smaller number, not with any human emotional attachment. Simple explaination, I hadn't posted anything.
Had meant to post stuff.
Meant to write about Wed night ride with Fox. How the impending showers were there, ninigret was canceled and perfect opportunity for others to come out, and while it was threatening, as I left the bike shop it was not raining. It was not raining when we left the traffic circle/waterman grille at 5pm. It was just the two of us.
But by the time we got mid-span on the Red Bridge, it was raining.
Already dressed, ready to go. I had arm warmers on, but bare knees. It was 63 at the start. Wet knee warmers aren't much help. Sure I should consider investing in some Ibex bib shorts or knickers instead of kids shoes or clothes, but I run what i got and it ain't wool and yeah. On the ride it was great. Working hard enough that there was no possible way to get cold. With the base layer on I was actually almost too hot with the efforts of the ride.
I just went to the front, pulled, rode hard, kept the effort strong, pushed way to the breaking point, Fox sprinted around at each sprint point, taking the line. I tried to stay with him and contest the sprint but I also tried to go hard enough that he would have to work and maybe give me a chance, no dice. I guess I kind of make a pretty good hole in the wind to follow. He took Pine, he took Rocky Hill, he seriously gap'd me on hillside on the first pitch, I just couldn't stay on his wheel, but then I regrouped and charged up the final pitches and tried closed in on him but still couldn't catch him.
Got to the top and he was 'waiting' at the sprint line for me. Well not really. He had blown a front spoke, radial wheel, BMC frame - zero clearance.
So I pulled out my spoke wrench from the seat bag still packed from RdR3.0, and make the wheel straight enough to get home without removing any more clear-coat.
On the ride we went from pouring rain, clouds and dark to sunny blue patches of sky. It was dry by the time I rolled back into the shop but I was spent and wet and now had to grab a backpack and ride home. And I was too blown to pedal hard enough to stay warm. Normally that's the way it is done. If you are underdressed you just go hard enough to stay warm. I needed to have changed into dry clothes at the shop to make it home warm. That or get some technical cycling wool outergarments. I was coldwhen I got home. Took a good pile of awesome images though on the way home (G+). Also paused to watch a Blue Heron fishing then saw a really strange looking bird. Turned out to be a Green Heron, very odd, hadn't seen one before.
Rolled home pre-hypothermic. Not so good. But a warm shower and winter layer of clothes with thick wool socks and a hoodie pulled over my head had me warmed up by 10pm or so.
Thursday was no riding, friday much the same - lots of craziness ensuing with the end of school end of ballet end of soccer and of schedule as we know it.
I did manage to squeeze in a ride on Saturday morning. I was the one not racing the next day so I played human Derny. Aka motor pacer. A good short ride. Worked at the shop a bit, watched some impressive ballet performances, went home had a beer or three, made food for the late arrivals. Sunday no riding, just soccer chauffeur and special dinner chef.
No riding today either - funny how i break days into Riding or no riding. Thats how i think of them. What can I say. Maybe tomorrow but also, maybe not.
Crazy day - not nearly enough time to reflect on the anniversary of the passing of a dear friend, Mark Louis Frances Nicholson. Not nearly enough time.
His spirit and his smile live on, and will, as long as we keep revisiting the wonderful memories of a great man.
with that
heddwch
g
Had meant to post stuff.
Meant to write about Wed night ride with Fox. How the impending showers were there, ninigret was canceled and perfect opportunity for others to come out, and while it was threatening, as I left the bike shop it was not raining. It was not raining when we left the traffic circle/waterman grille at 5pm. It was just the two of us.
But by the time we got mid-span on the Red Bridge, it was raining.
Already dressed, ready to go. I had arm warmers on, but bare knees. It was 63 at the start. Wet knee warmers aren't much help. Sure I should consider investing in some Ibex bib shorts or knickers instead of kids shoes or clothes, but I run what i got and it ain't wool and yeah. On the ride it was great. Working hard enough that there was no possible way to get cold. With the base layer on I was actually almost too hot with the efforts of the ride.
I just went to the front, pulled, rode hard, kept the effort strong, pushed way to the breaking point, Fox sprinted around at each sprint point, taking the line. I tried to stay with him and contest the sprint but I also tried to go hard enough that he would have to work and maybe give me a chance, no dice. I guess I kind of make a pretty good hole in the wind to follow. He took Pine, he took Rocky Hill, he seriously gap'd me on hillside on the first pitch, I just couldn't stay on his wheel, but then I regrouped and charged up the final pitches and tried closed in on him but still couldn't catch him.
Got to the top and he was 'waiting' at the sprint line for me. Well not really. He had blown a front spoke, radial wheel, BMC frame - zero clearance.
So I pulled out my spoke wrench from the seat bag still packed from RdR3.0, and make the wheel straight enough to get home without removing any more clear-coat.
On the ride we went from pouring rain, clouds and dark to sunny blue patches of sky. It was dry by the time I rolled back into the shop but I was spent and wet and now had to grab a backpack and ride home. And I was too blown to pedal hard enough to stay warm. Normally that's the way it is done. If you are underdressed you just go hard enough to stay warm. I needed to have changed into dry clothes at the shop to make it home warm. That or get some technical cycling wool outergarments. I was coldwhen I got home. Took a good pile of awesome images though on the way home (G+). Also paused to watch a Blue Heron fishing then saw a really strange looking bird. Turned out to be a Green Heron, very odd, hadn't seen one before.
Rolled home pre-hypothermic. Not so good. But a warm shower and winter layer of clothes with thick wool socks and a hoodie pulled over my head had me warmed up by 10pm or so.
Thursday was no riding, friday much the same - lots of craziness ensuing with the end of school end of ballet end of soccer and of schedule as we know it.
I did manage to squeeze in a ride on Saturday morning. I was the one not racing the next day so I played human Derny. Aka motor pacer. A good short ride. Worked at the shop a bit, watched some impressive ballet performances, went home had a beer or three, made food for the late arrivals. Sunday no riding, just soccer chauffeur and special dinner chef.
No riding today either - funny how i break days into Riding or no riding. Thats how i think of them. What can I say. Maybe tomorrow but also, maybe not.
Crazy day - not nearly enough time to reflect on the anniversary of the passing of a dear friend, Mark Louis Frances Nicholson. Not nearly enough time.
His spirit and his smile live on, and will, as long as we keep revisiting the wonderful memories of a great man.
with that
heddwch
g
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Miss you Mark
Miss you man.
June 11 2009... we rode together on the 9th...
I've talked about Mark. Hand cut his initials for the RdR3.0 to put on the bike.
The bar tape on the Quantum pro is the same color as his favorite scarf.
Miss you my friend.
June 11 2009... we rode together on the 9th...
I've talked about Mark. Hand cut his initials for the RdR3.0 to put on the bike.
The bar tape on the Quantum pro is the same color as his favorite scarf.
Miss you my friend.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
it is a beautiful day in the neighborhood...
A beautiful day in the neighborhood...
Perfect day riding in. Last night I drilled it, TT style home the Croll was protesting the shoes were squeaking under the torque and I was brutalizing the chain in the 46x12 the whole length of the bike path. A touch of rain here and there through the day meant a nearly clear bike path for the TT. My glutes hurt standing around watching soccer practice afterwards. Always a good sign. The rocks were a factor, no headwind, not much wind in fact.
This morning though, perfect new england weather. Cool, when i woke up the thermometer read 48°F... but warming pleasantly with the sun.
Dead calm on the ride in. Temp perfect. The only thing that could have improved the day would have been to keep riding until it was time to head home. Such a beautiful ride in. Yesterday on the heavy slow bike with the trailer hauling rocks (had to make a delivery at the kid's school with a forgotten item that wouldn't fit in my bag - so I had to take the trailer), and today, backpack on the Klein with hopes that the rain holds off/blows over in time for the 5pm ride tonight. Fingers crossed.
Ballet insanity/culmination is reaching the climax (this weekend), school is almost over for the girls, summer is about to kick into full swing. Vacation days piled up are about to be burned through to cut down on summer camp... My youngest keeps asking when I will have time to fix the car (her door on the rusty race wagon isn't opening super reliably from the outside - opens from the inside every time though), looks like the two of us will be playing with tools very soon.
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Rain and the bike path.
Best combination EVER.
I'm digging the weather, even if it means wearing full tights in June.
I'm fine with that.
BIKE PATH ALL TO MYSELF...
Trailer with rocks today.
Saved a pile of people from flat tires when i scooped two boxes of exterior screwed off the road. Looks like they fell off/out of a truck. Would have been bad if they got run over and spread around. I saw that happen once at a corner. Bucket with screws or nails had spilled, and there were a handful of cars not far away with flat tires.
Bagwell, that's what my friend Lee calls it. Found objects on the road. now I have a couple pounds of coated exterior nails to add to the list.
I'm digging the weather, even if it means wearing full tights in June.
I'm fine with that.
BIKE PATH ALL TO MYSELF...
Trailer with rocks today.
Saved a pile of people from flat tires when i scooped two boxes of exterior screwed off the road. Looks like they fell off/out of a truck. Would have been bad if they got run over and spread around. I saw that happen once at a corner. Bucket with screws or nails had spilled, and there were a handful of cars not far away with flat tires.
Bagwell, that's what my friend Lee calls it. Found objects on the road. now I have a couple pounds of coated exterior nails to add to the list.
Monday, June 04, 2012
Time for some more Chain Lube
I'm down to maybe an ounce or two left of Chain lube, time to buy some more. I've been a bike mechanic in various forms for a good quarter of a century (give or take a year or two) and I've used so many different lubes over the years. But I can finally say, I have found the one that works the best (for me) and placates the cheap swamp yankee (even though I grew up in the PacNW) in me. scroll back to 2008 when I first though "hell i'll give that a try" http://www.erikv.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/4/Chain-Lube if it doesn't work I won't make another batch.
Erik did an update back in '10, one key thing is to put the lube on AFTER the ride, not before.I find that if i do it before there isn't enough time for the carrier to evaporate. I also use this in my Park Chain cleaner (i think actually the model gen before CM-5.2).
Total Cost? $13 + $4 = $17 for a gallon of lube. Which works out to a bit less than $0.18/oz. Line it up against the most expensive chain lube out there and it holds its own. Really really well. Pro-link Gold? Meh it ain't got nutting on this stuff.
Last time I made a batch I gave a few bottles out for people to try - if you want to test it, get me your empty lube bottles and I'll fill it up and you can try it w/o committing to making a whole gallon of lube.
For the ultimate clean chain start with the EVerLube from Voldoil in the Park Chain cleaner. Then wash the bike with soap and water (Bucket, brush) hit the chain with high pressure from the hose... Dry it off, apply chain lube to saturate the chain, pedal about 30+ rotations with the crank, wipe off the excess. Done. That's worked for the most caked on I've gotten the chain using this lube.
If the chain is making noise it isn't properly lubed.
Fast forward to now. Keeping a commuter bike lubed through that whole time, and cross bike through seasons of racing cyclcross i finally am out.
So I made another batch... big box store for the mineral spirits and then one of the chain autoparts stores... the Quaker state was on sale for 3.99/quart for the full synthetic. I grabbed a 5W30.
So I made another batch... big box store for the mineral spirits and then one of the chain autoparts stores... the Quaker state was on sale for 3.99/quart for the full synthetic. I grabbed a 5W30.
Erik did an update back in '10, one key thing is to put the lube on AFTER the ride, not before.I find that if i do it before there isn't enough time for the carrier to evaporate. I also use this in my Park Chain cleaner (i think actually the model gen before CM-5.2).
Total Cost? $13 + $4 = $17 for a gallon of lube. Which works out to a bit less than $0.18/oz. Line it up against the most expensive chain lube out there and it holds its own. Really really well. Pro-link Gold? Meh it ain't got nutting on this stuff.
Last time I made a batch I gave a few bottles out for people to try - if you want to test it, get me your empty lube bottles and I'll fill it up and you can try it w/o committing to making a whole gallon of lube.
For the ultimate clean chain start with the EVerLube from Voldoil in the Park Chain cleaner. Then wash the bike with soap and water (Bucket, brush) hit the chain with high pressure from the hose... Dry it off, apply chain lube to saturate the chain, pedal about 30+ rotations with the crank, wipe off the excess. Done. That's worked for the most caked on I've gotten the chain using this lube.
If the chain is making noise it isn't properly lubed.
No doubt
“My business,” he wrote, “is to teach my aspirations to conform themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonize with my aspirations.” -Thomas Huxley 1860
You think we'd be better at that by now. It seems to me, that we're quite a bit worse. I will display some bias and suggest that maybe it is the M.O. of FauxNewChannel.
The quote is a very appropriate tag there at the end of the salt piece in the NYTimes. It is actually surprising to hear people being prescribed low salt diets still. And I've run into a pile of them.
Sodium is flat out critically important to our being able to function on a cellular level. Esp as it gets hot out.
Not hot today though. Long sleeve jersey and tights under bib shorts today. Cold. Well it felt cold for June. 50º and a nice still 20mph+ headwind for the ride in. But it was dry down here. Looks like some folks north of here got some rain this AM, heck it could be raining outside right now, I have no windows, and would have to open up a radar image if I wanted to check on the precip without leaving the facility.
Salt is important. And the kidney does a surprisingly good job at getting any excess out without really over taxing the organ. Hell that's what it does.
Pandora is on mix today - shuffle all.
play list is f'n RANDOM
Jewel
David Bowie
Wagner
Beastie Boys
Gotan Project
Bon Iver
Mustard Plug
Reel Big Fish
Eric Clapton
J King y Maximan
That's just the artist list of the last 10 songs...
Another good read that popped through the computer today is out of Slate about running.
"all men can't jump." There are bits that could be said better, the premise that we suck at most things is there but some of the commenters correctly point out that (now there is the Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello in G Major by Beethoven, played by Kogan, Barshai and Rostropovich) correctly point out that we're second or third best across the board and aggregated all together we're tops. Makes sense, but doesn't change the fact that we're "hot-day meat chasers." Good running read. I'll still pick the bike, esp as the temps go up, because that cooling of the wind on the bike beats trying to run in the heat, granted all you have to do is acclimate a bit and you're generally going to be okay. Hence the challenges weather anomalies like we had around the Boston Marathon create for 'us.'
BikeWork's TT will be starting up the 3rd? week in June I hear. Details on their web page soon. Four weeks in a row. Week five will bring back the two man TT. 6:30pm start from the usual place. Same course as last year. (Daylight by Matt & Kim now). We'll see how the schedule shakes out. Would love to head out at least a couple times to compare vs last year. Not sure I can manage to make the whole series but Bob says he has a pile of stuff to give away this year. Should be worth it for the loot haul for those who can make it. (Mony Mony by Billy Idol).
Oh and answer to the FireFly finish: Image #1 is polished and Image #2 is bead blasted.
no trailer today - just backpack - no rocks either. Maybe tomorrow.
heddwch
G
You think we'd be better at that by now. It seems to me, that we're quite a bit worse. I will display some bias and suggest that maybe it is the M.O. of FauxNewChannel.
The quote is a very appropriate tag there at the end of the salt piece in the NYTimes. It is actually surprising to hear people being prescribed low salt diets still. And I've run into a pile of them.
Sodium is flat out critically important to our being able to function on a cellular level. Esp as it gets hot out.
Not hot today though. Long sleeve jersey and tights under bib shorts today. Cold. Well it felt cold for June. 50º and a nice still 20mph+ headwind for the ride in. But it was dry down here. Looks like some folks north of here got some rain this AM, heck it could be raining outside right now, I have no windows, and would have to open up a radar image if I wanted to check on the precip without leaving the facility.
Salt is important. And the kidney does a surprisingly good job at getting any excess out without really over taxing the organ. Hell that's what it does.
Pandora is on mix today - shuffle all.
play list is f'n RANDOM
Jewel
David Bowie
Wagner
Beastie Boys
Gotan Project
Bon Iver
Mustard Plug
Reel Big Fish
Eric Clapton
J King y Maximan
That's just the artist list of the last 10 songs...
Another good read that popped through the computer today is out of Slate about running.
"all men can't jump." There are bits that could be said better, the premise that we suck at most things is there but some of the commenters correctly point out that (now there is the Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello in G Major by Beethoven, played by Kogan, Barshai and Rostropovich) correctly point out that we're second or third best across the board and aggregated all together we're tops. Makes sense, but doesn't change the fact that we're "hot-day meat chasers." Good running read. I'll still pick the bike, esp as the temps go up, because that cooling of the wind on the bike beats trying to run in the heat, granted all you have to do is acclimate a bit and you're generally going to be okay. Hence the challenges weather anomalies like we had around the Boston Marathon create for 'us.'
BikeWork's TT will be starting up the 3rd? week in June I hear. Details on their web page soon. Four weeks in a row. Week five will bring back the two man TT. 6:30pm start from the usual place. Same course as last year. (Daylight by Matt & Kim now). We'll see how the schedule shakes out. Would love to head out at least a couple times to compare vs last year. Not sure I can manage to make the whole series but Bob says he has a pile of stuff to give away this year. Should be worth it for the loot haul for those who can make it. (Mony Mony by Billy Idol).
Oh and answer to the FireFly finish: Image #1 is polished and Image #2 is bead blasted.
no trailer today - just backpack - no rocks either. Maybe tomorrow.
heddwch
G
Friday, June 01, 2012
Firefly Bicycles Finishes on the SEM
So before I do the whole story/reveal...
Two pictures. Both with the same magnification/tilt/collection parameters.
Yes the are the two finish choices. You can go to http://fireflybicycles.com yourself to figure out the correct term for each one.
To play the game correctly identify image #1 and image #2 in the comments.
Two pictures. Both with the same magnification/tilt/collection parameters.
Yes the are the two finish choices. You can go to http://fireflybicycles.com yourself to figure out the correct term for each one.
To play the game correctly identify image #1 and image #2 in the comments.
 |
| Image #1 |
 |
| Image #2 |
Cell phones
I'm becoming more and more self-conscious/aware that I'm the only one talking in public on a phone that isn't a flat touch screen computer.
I really do feel like I look like this when I open it up and talk on it. Yes. The fact that I actually use my cell phone exclusively to make voice calls probably is just as bad.
and after a pile of weeks/months feeling this way - i've finally dug up the picture in my mind when I'm somewhere on the phone that people can see me
I really do feel like I look like this when I open it up and talk on it. Yes. The fact that I actually use my cell phone exclusively to make voice calls probably is just as bad.
and after a pile of weeks/months feeling this way - i've finally dug up the picture in my mind when I'm somewhere on the phone that people can see me
unleashed
GeWilli got a bit out of hand and "harsh" yesterday.
Yeah probably. Sort of got tired of toning it down and I got out of hand.
Two nights in a row of pretty shitty sleep. or lack of. for no real good reason. Okay wed night it was a dog in a nearby yard who wanted to be inside, and barked for two hours every 5 min or so. Woke me up every time. I'd fall asleep boom WOOF WOOF WOOF. Close my eyes WOOF WOOF WOOF. repeat. Poor dog was getting hoarse by the end. But it did stop eventually. And I slept until a big f'n mocking bird felt like being a crow in the tree outside the window at 4:30am. CAW CAW CAW, quiet and i would drift asleep only to wake up to the same sound, repeat like the dog from 11pm - 1am.
Yeah yeah whatever who cares.
Yeah probably. Sort of got tired of toning it down and I got out of hand.
Two nights in a row of pretty shitty sleep. or lack of. for no real good reason. Okay wed night it was a dog in a nearby yard who wanted to be inside, and barked for two hours every 5 min or so. Woke me up every time. I'd fall asleep boom WOOF WOOF WOOF. Close my eyes WOOF WOOF WOOF. repeat. Poor dog was getting hoarse by the end. But it did stop eventually. And I slept until a big f'n mocking bird felt like being a crow in the tree outside the window at 4:30am. CAW CAW CAW, quiet and i would drift asleep only to wake up to the same sound, repeat like the dog from 11pm - 1am.
Yeah yeah whatever who cares.
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