More Baking

We have been doing a little baking this holiday season. Our neighbors are very generous with their snow blower, so we figure we should be generous with our cookies. Our church serves at Dorothy Day and requested cookies, so there are 4 more dozen. My brother lives in a small apartment where cooking space is not abundant, another couple dozen. I always like to take some up to the bike shop, always a nice treat. Then we need to make sure we have some to take with us for Christmas in SD. And that leaves, hopefully, a few leftover for us to consume here at the house. I think it will take a few more mixing bowls before I feel we have enough.

Along with all the cookies, some ideas have been "baking" in my brain for a while. I am wanting to get back into more of a daily routine. I want to be more consistent for writing what is rolling around in my brain. Looking back through previous posts, I am reminded of why I write stuff down. It really is about clearing out my mind and being able to concretely focus on what is happening in my life. Even though there is a lot of trivial events, it is the process of taking a thought through from start to finish. Like most everything, practice makes ease of all.

I have been slacking in the photo department for a while and that will not do. I have started to make the practice of carrying a camera with me wherever I go in order to be able to capture scenes like this:

Bishop Leonidas Lent-Hamline University
(hat by anonymous)

Let it Snow

I'm not proud of it, but I called off work today. We are receiving a bit of snow here in the Twin Cities and my attempt at riding to work was not what I would call fun. This is one of the very few times I wish I had a Pugsley (or a new Mukluk!). I know I could have made it to the shop, but what concerned me more was how difficult it would be to make it back home. I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have a lot of customers anyway.

So I guess that means I bake cookies and maybe spend a little time in the basement starting the Cross Check conversion to Trans Iowa mode. Not that there is a lot to do, but I think there is still some mud that I can dig out from this year's attempt. That while keeping an eye on the street. We have already dug out one of our neighbors trying to make it through the intersection.

(view from my front door)

Enjoy the snow!

Shifting?

Most of the time, for the last 6 years, I ride bicycles with only 1 gear to choose from. My favorite thing about single/fixed riding is that there is very little chain noise. No chain slap. No caught between gears grinding. No derailleur rub. And if I run 1/8" chains (and remember to lubricate them), there is VERY little noise. So when I first saw the Sturmey Archer SX-3 two years ago now(?), I thought I better try one.

A while back now, I had to do some ordering at the bike shop which is not my normal job. This always gets me into trouble because it forces me to look through catalogs and browse distributors web sites. Sure enough, the SX-3 was on special so of course it went right onto the order. Over the next few weeks I collected the rest of the parts for the wheel build and now have a multi-geared fixed gear.


I wanted to keep my Cross Check clean, so I mounted the shifter on the rear rack. It takes a little getting used to, but ended up being very easy to reach back for shifting. I don't plan on shifting a bunch anyways, so the overall outcome is very much to my liking. My first impression is that there is waaaaaay too much play in the hub. I don't have a digital angle finder (I should look for an app), but I estimate my cranks can move back and forth nearly 4 degrees. Doesn't seem like much, but that is 12mm of travel. And it's weird travel too. I am used to having a bit of runout, but there is always tension on the chain. This is free play. A little different and weird.

I also feel like there is a lot of drag in the lowest gear. I spin at a pretty high rate, and I chose a cog that was in stock and it is too high of a gear. This means that I have been riding in the lowest gear most of the time. I feel a lot less drag in the second and third gear. There is very little rolling resistance, but some drag as the gears churn. I am looking to order a larger cog to lower everything down. I think the gearing steps are spaced appropriately, I just hope I can make everything work out to my liking. I am more than likely going to have to change my chainring as well.

So I am playing around with gearing and am going to ride it until the weather turns foul and I have to break out the winter bike. I am fairly certain I can get used to the hub resistance, but I have a feeling the play is what is going to be what keeps it from going back on the bike next year.

Vacation Time

This time of year is when I am able to take a little time off from work. We try to celebrate our wedding anniversary by taking various trips often including camping expeditions. This year was our 10th year as an official couple so we stepped it up a touch and went to a Bed & Breakfast near Grand Marais. It was a nice little place, probably not exactly our style of vacation, but a great experience.

One of the most exciting things is that I borrowed my cousin's Nikon D90. I haven't used that nice of a camera, ever, and it was a real treat to shoot. I was amazed how easy it was to operate, but most of my photos show my lack of experience with it. I did manage to come up with this sunset photo right on the bay.



The fall colors were great, but as a rainstorm had blown through a couple days before, a number of leaves were knocked onto the ground. We also had a fair amount of cloud cover and rain. But a great place to get in touch with nature and remind me of how lucky I really am.

Relaxing Time

I love fall.

We had a quick trip up north to attend my company picnic. We had a super nice cabin on Namekogan Lake. Carrie and I headed up on Sunday to make it to dinner out with most of our staff. Afterwords, there was cribbage until fairly late. As we were "camping", I was up before the sun and wandered down to the water to see the sun start to show.

After some breakfast, Dan and I shot round of golf. Really nice course. A little tricky, as I haven't played much, but beautiful golfing. And with that, it was about time to pack up and come home. Not a single minute on the bicycle. It was a little strange, and I did have a small tang in my brain, telling me to get on the bike, but I don't have any regrets. I am liking the small distance away from the bike.

We have an anniversary weekend planned and I am borrowing a new camera from my cousin. I can hardly wait to try it out and evaluate it for what will hopefully be an upcoming purchase for me.

Different Ride

This morning Dan and I went on a ride with some other industry folk. It was a small group (5 this morning) that do some urban off road riding at various places around the cities. There was a nice mix of a couple cyclocross, couple mountain (one being my 3 speed XO-2), and a 29r. As we had to work at 10, we rode the somewhat off road trails along river road, to Ft Snelling, and then Dan and I turned north while the others sought further adventure.
I don't ride with very many different people and I was reminded of why this morning. Although I didn't have any problems with how these folks rode (a common issue with me), it was the talk of some that bugged me. I have a hard time competing with people as I don't really care how I stack up to others. So it ends up that I listen to a lot of what other people speak at me. And a lot of time, it isn't anything that they should be sharing.

But the riding was great. It was the second time in a couple of weeks that the XO-2 was out and I even received a very nice complement; "I like your bike". No drooling over this or that, just a simple "nice ride" is music to my ears. Thanks Dave.

As I stayed a little late to work on a repair after work, I left the shop around 7 PM. Not moving too fast, after a full days worth of work and a little longer morning commute, I realized that the sun was setting around the time I would be crossing the Hamline pedestrian bridge. I picked up the pace, but was a little late. I was still able to capture some images, and I think this one is the best. I like the way the amazing color is offset by all the industry of cables, towers, and buildings. A little ironic.
Have a great Labor Day. Labor away!! Wait, I guess don't labor. Think about labor. But don't labor over it.

Townie wheels. Really?

I just ran across this wonderful new product this morning. While I appreciate the use of the White Industries hubs, this is one of the stupidest marketing launches I have seen yet. I suppose for those who want to show off their bike and make it look "cool", this would work. But for a bicycle to be locked up and not worried about, missed. For a bike you can maybe true the wheel without taking the tire tube and rim strip off, missed. Or for general abuse and neglect, missed. They say they are to be strong because they are used for "pro athlete race wheels", which are never a true test for a product. They get ridden hard, but not in real world conditions. Good for selling race wheels, not everyday, round town wheels. True I haven't ridden these wheels, but I guarantee my 32h wheels will last longer.

Just couldn't help myself.

New Toy

I rarely buy stuff without a little research. But last week I saw a blurb about a new product from Dahon and I decided I should try it right away. Enter the ReeCharge. Peter White has had a product similar to this for a while, but it costs quite a bit more and needed a secondary caching battery to use with a phone and such.

This battery unit is very much self contained. There is a regulator that hooks up to a hub dynamo, and then the battery unit itself. Plug your phone, or mp3 player, or GPS unit, or laptop, or whatever else you wish to charge, and you are good to go. I haven't actually hooked it up to my hub yet, but right away it seems like it is going to be a nice accessory for uber long bike rides.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the ReeCharge came with adapters for a bunch of different electronic devices; Nokia, Samsung, Apple, and then more generic mini USB. Even an EU plug in! The device is super easy with a plug in to charge the battery and a plug to charge your devices. There are some decent covers to keep it somewhat water resistant and the strapping should make it mountable almost anywhere. I'll probably write some more about this after I have used it for a while.

Now I am starting to crave my new Droid I ordered. My current phone is not nearly as power hungry as the new one will be, so it will be interesting to see how this keeps it going. In the meantime, I will use it for as many different devices I have. Not being super into electronic stuff, I am a little limited. But I think I can get the gist.

Back to Reality

All of last week was spent working the MS TRAM. It is a ton of fun, getting me out of the shop but still working on bikes, and raises money for a great cause. The days are VERY long and it takes a lot out of me after 5 days of it. This year I came back on Friday and then had to work on Saturday. No time to settle and ease back into normal life.

I then followed that up with riding the Tour de Loren on Sunday. This is an urban century ride that one of my customers has put on for the past 7 years. He goes waaaaay over the top, using 2 cars for support vehicles, hosting 3 rest stops, q sheets, t-shirts, and a party after. All just to gather up people he knows to go riding. It is an amazing time. The ride was really stepped up with the addition of a Mavic neutral support car. One of our normal riders couldn't ride due to a broken bone, so he was willing to follow us around all day. I'm not bragging, but I know some very neat people.

So now it is the start of a new week. Back to work and time to start settling down a touch. My basement is overwhelmed with piles everywhere from last week, and there is a lot of work to be done beyond just cleaning.

Party Wrap up

The entire point of riding to Duluth this past weekend was to hang out at Fitgers, something Dan has wanted to do for some time. We had to make a quick stop at Pizza Luce to grab Dan's credit card from the night before. Screaming down the streets of Duluth was excellent! I wouldn't mind heading up there to just ride around some. Finally arriving at Fitgers was a welcome treat. We grabbed a table and started in on lunch. Beers were already on the table by the time I made it inside, but I decided to start out with a bloody mary. I have to say the beer chaser was better tasting. I wasn't feeling the greatest at this point, yesterday's ride still doing a number on my stomach. I opted to not finish the last couple bites of my burger and we hit the streets of Duluth.

Having been on the bikes enough for the weekend, we left them locked up at Fitgers and walked a while. Being Sunday and the Fourth, we didn't find a lot of things open until we hit Canal St. We headed into Hell's Burger as they had a happy hour special going. I couldn't muster the thought of alcohol into my stomach, so I chose a couple glasses of lemonade. I had been craving it for a while, and it turned me around. After those had settled a touch, I felt amazingly better. The power of the fruit! Unfortunately, Rich didn't have any lemonade. He was struggling a bit with the sleep deprivation. At this point, some people next to us at the bar commented: "I think your friend's dead!"
I think the low part of the day was our stop at Grandma's. People were a little confused heading in, Dan downstairs and everyone else upstairs. Dan ordered drinks at his bar, and we as well up at our table. Short lived confusion led to a couple tall beers, Jameson shots, and one frothy margarita. I don't have to go back there. We did get a call from Alex saying she was a little early (about an hour) so we drank up and hit the boardwalk.

There are a few things I am not proud of. I have lived in MN for twelve years and I have yet to enter the BWCA (horror!). Nor had I set any body part in Lake Superior. Somehow this was mentioned on our walk back and we had to rectify that. Dan was obviously feeling good at this point, as he plunged right into the lake. Then we convinced Joe that his Batman underwear were perfectly suitable for swimming. Good times.We met up with our saviors at Fitgers and of course had to have a couple more beers. Packing up the cars was interesting. Loading 5 bicycles, a trailer and all our crap into two fairly small cars was quite the challenge. Fortunately only a small amount of disassembly was required and we turned our faces south. I was surprised how much of the trip back I stayed awake. I'm usually good for crashing hard in the car, but I had to sneak another couple pics of bobbing heads. I did crash hard once my head hit the pillow.

All-in-all it was a fabulous weekend. I doubt I will ever recall any of the haikus I composed. A couple were halfway decent. Although, I was under the influence of heat, or lack of sleep, or booze, or some weird combination.

Party weekend

My coworker Dan is getting married next weekend. Unfortunately, my mother also chose to be ordained that same weekend. Family always wins. So it is that I cannot attend the wedding and felt it absolutely necessary to ride to Duluth with Dan and some friends for a bachelorish party weekend.

We left Saturday morning and as always when trying to gather 6 people together and roll out, we left about 30 minutes after we wished. We picked up a 7th part way through the cities and all headed out north. We have done this Duluth trip many times in the past, but always with the design of riding up and back, stopping only for snacks along the way and breakfast in Duluth (we usually leave in the evening to get the darkness out of the way). This time it would be different as we were loaded for camping overnight in Duluth.

We were fortunate enough to have Ken ride with us as far as Hugo. After breakfast, he pealed off, having to buck a pretty good headwind for the return ride home. Down to 6, we continued north. Our progress was slowed somewhat in Forest Lake as we had to maneuver our way through a parade. I am still kicking myself for not taking any pictures. A quick stop for some cool drinks in North Branch and to say goodbye to Michael and it was the long stretch of highway to Hinckley. We were moving at a pretty slow pace, even with a strong tailwind. Too many stops and general lolly gagging was starting to make this into one of the hardest Duluth rides yet.

After lunch in Hinckley (a very good idea) we hit the Munger Trail. There was some serious miles left and we put it to the pedals. The stopping was kept to a minimum and the pace was kept up and we found ourselves climbing up to the campground at Spirit Mountain around 10:15. Unfortunately, that was not enough time to make it to Fitgers (our ultimate destination) before the kitchen closed. So we called a cab to take us to Pizza Luce. A few cold beers sure felt nice, but after 160 miles of hot, humid riding, we were buzzing and sleepy very quickly. There was barely any talk when we made it back to camp. Everyone crawled into their bunks and crashed hard.

(a present from the trail gods)

I awoke Sunday morning not sure if I was going to ride home, or hang out with people in Duluth. I was still quite tired from the day before so I figured I would see how breakfast went and take it from there. No sooner had I poured my first cup of coffee and the rain started. And it really rained. We took shelter under an overhang at the bathrooms and made our plan of riding into Duluth to wait for our rides to come fetch us. The rain only lasted for roughly 30 minutes and we soon were cranking our way slowly toward Duluth proper. None of us are from that area, so we grabbed a map at a convenience store and decided to ride Skyline Parkway all the way into town.

Anyone familiar with the layout of Duluth, knows that it has the steepest streets in MN. They aren't that long, but there are some VERY steep ones. And of course, anytime you are talking about Skyline anything, you know there are going to be some hills involved. It was spectacular. We all felt good on our bikes (I'm sure because we knew we didn't have to be one them for 15 hours) and we just enjoyed the morning. Stopping to check out the views, taking a dip in a small swimming hole, and soaking in the now beautiful morning. And the day was just getting started.

Why I don't race

Working in a bike shop, I often am asked if I race. One of my former co-workers put it very well; "Racing takes away the fun of riding a bicycle."

I think this sums up that statement very nicely:



I especially like the AG2R? rider who had given up and had his head down for a moment, only to look up and flip over Cavendish. Kind of ruins the ride. I don't have time for that.

Why I ride a bike: Reason #3

Summer Nights

I know, it technically isn't summer.

Last night my wife and I rode down to a local eatery to enjoy the evening and nourishment. My cousin and girlfriend rode over from Minneapolis so they could enjoy the evening as well. We then all rode over to have some dessert and if you have never been to Izzy's, I suggest you go. By the time we were all finished, it was around 10:30 and time to ride home.

My first thought, as it was still extremely warm, was to ride over to Minneapolis and then home. But both my wife and I were tired and I wasn't on the best bike to keep up with skinny wheelers. So we just noodled the 2 miles home. It was gorgeous! The temperature was around 70, barely any wind, humidity was non-existent, hard to ask for a better evening. As I waited at the light at University, I had a memory triggered from when I lived in Florida. At that intersection, there is a lot more pavement and concrete and not much vegetation. It's one of the main reasons I could not continue to live in FL.

Leaving that road behind, we entered my neighborhood streets. Overgrown with many a great old tree, the smells and overall feeling of being closer to nature returned. Cruising on the bike, not wishing for different (especially more) clothing, great conversation, smelling life from the earth (which we are trying to kill to the best of our abilities), how could that not be one of the greatest things ever?

Choices are Critical

Ken and I tried out one of our most relaxing ways to incorporate bicycles into other activities, with our second BGB event. That's Bike-Golf-Bike, laid back triathlon style. We were planning to ride up to Stacy to play, but as I was calculating the schedule for Saturday, I realized I couldn't be gone that long, so we chose a closer course near Stillwater. Out the Gateway Trail a ways Ken says, "take the gravel?". Well how can I say no to that.

Turns out I should say no when I am testing tyres I have a good idea are not designed for gravel. I put a set of Panaracer Ribmos on the Cross Check and in trying to encourage others to ride them (purely for testing purposes) I purchased them in 32mm width. Now why would I think we wouldn't be riding gravel? Somewhere in my brain, I know I was thinking I just have to confirm these are not the tyres for me. The most intriguing factor for me is that I enjoy so much of the Panaracer Pasela, (including T-Servs 6 of 8 700c bikes have them) and I figure if they can make that tyre so wonderful, maybe this one is worth a shot.

I have only run them about 50 miles but I'm sure they won't stay on my bike much longer. I think they could make an ok commuter for someone, but after riding Paselas for so long, I am extremely happy with them, and this tyre does not offer anything to improve my ride. The first is that they seemed very springy. Once we hit the gravel, I was bouncing down the road. I had them set at 60psi, which is a little higher than I run my Paselas, but they didn't absorb the bumps. It's a little unclear from the picture, but the tyres are actually pointed a little in the center. I don't think it reduced my rolling resistance, but it sure changes the compression. It also carves into the dirt. We hit a few softer sections of gravel throughout our rides and it was like riding through sand. I had no steering control and bogged down very quickly. Lastly, I did notice the less than smooth transition into cornering. I thought I was going to just feel this in my mind, but Sunday I hopped back on a bike with T-Servs (28mm none the less) and I was surprised at how well they rolled into the corners. So much so that I cased a pedal leaning into a turn, which I have not done for a long time (disclaimer: fixed gear + excited rider, not just excited, stupid rider).

I figure I will run the tyres a few more days on my normal commute to give them a little more of a chance. Then, off to another person to see what they think. Since a number of us at the shop have similar taste in rubber, I have a feeling these are going to be for sale pretty soon. Even with my lack of stellar thoughts for my bike's shoes, the golfing was great and the riding even better.

Garden Time

This past weekend my wife and I spent a whole bunch of time working in our yard. We put in a vegetable garden and planted a number of plants. The weather was absolutely perfect and I was only a little sad there was no biking. With the exception of the small ride for Joe's bachelor party. I think I am still partially dehydrated because of it.

Kids Again

(riding to the park)

Last year we had a rousing game of wiffle ball for a Sunday Slow Ride activity, and it turned out great. From the choosing teams, to the arguing over rules, to the 5th inning stretch bike derby. Everyone had a great time and the injuries were kept to a minimum. Alas, trying to recreate events and experiences only goes so far.

Sunday was our second wiffle ball game day and it was a lot of fun. We played a little harder due to the balls not being quite as wiffly, so they moved a little faster. We had an impromptu derby, but it wasn't the all out pandemonium that derby can be. People had other commitments, slowly reducing our numbers until we had to make a trade to keep things even.

(serious gaming business)

I know it was a good time because I was very tired when I finally came home. Enough energy to eat some dinner and watch a little hockey. Just like being a kid, I fought going to bed. I am paying for it now, tired and cranky, trying to be ready for the real world.

Putting the Fires Out

The bike shop has been bustling over the last couple of months with milder spring weather than we are used to. Along with one of our full timers departing, this has caused a few of us to work a little more then usual. It also tends to start working it's way under people's skin.

I am getting crankier the older I get. Most people don't see this side of me and I have kept it hidden in my youth to save it up for when I get older. My dream is to be a cranky old man, sitting on my front porch and yelling at the kids to not ruin my flowerbeds. Then fix up their bikes for them, I'm cranky not mean!

So there's tons of people needing stuff at the shop, lots of personal events happening, all sorts of personal projects not getting to, loads of everyday tidbits that never go away and to top it all off, my wife's purse was snatched from her office. Talk about a straw! As I was asked to talk about a few items during one of our work meetings last night, I couldn't help myself and I yelled a little louder and sharper then I like to. Cranky coming through.

Today was much better and there seemed a lighter air about the store. I can't say for certain, but we aren't as backlogged and there are a number of items that have been checked off the list...done. I thought it fitting, looking across the street as the fire department put on a demonstration for some folk. I wasn't fast enough to catch the car on fire (and it was REALLY on fire!), but I did catch them giving some people a try at the hose. I should see if I could get my hands on one of those to put out my own fires.

My Trans Iowa V6

My good friend and fellow twisted cyclist Ken and I headed to attempt this year's Trans Iowa. This was my second try at this race and with a couple of confidence building rides under my belt, I felt good about the weekend. That didn't mean I wasn't scared silly, but sure that I could put forth a good effort.

Nervousness mounted right up to leaving the hotel 3:30 Friday morning. I was constantly second guessing what to wear, what to pack, where to pack it. Would my tyres work? Why didn't I leave the fenders on? What was I thinking trying this ride? Just the usual pre-race jitters.

The morning started out much warmer than I planned, so even at the start line I was changing things around. The nice thing is that my basket performed beautifully. Only very minor changes to make it perfection (I'm thinking of a custom bag). We rolled out a little after 4 keeping towards the back of the pack. We are no speed demons, so it didn't make any sense to be in anyone's way. Of course the leaders were off like crazy (those guys are insane!) but the rest of us were strung out in a matter of a couple miles. We quickly found ourselves on gravel and the mud started flying. I was wearing a pair of clear lens glasses and they were great since my tyres were flinging mud all over (as were all the tyres around me). Unfortunately, they didn't stay clear for long so into the basket they went and soon I was digging mud from my eyes on every downhill.

We rode with a number of riders for about 10 miles and it started to become too much back and forth for me to stand. So at one of the risers I cranked into the pedals a little harder and put some separation from the rest of the folk. Ken and I were then more on our own when the mist turned to slight rain and he wanted to cover his saddle (it's almost always a good idea to follow Ken's advice when it comes to riding). Shortly after, we thought rain jackets would be wise. And they were. It rained quite hard for about 30 min (I really have no sense of time at this point) which at least washed off some of the mud. Unfortunately, it created a whole bunch more.

The rain subsided and things were rolling along quite well up until somewhere around mile 30. The first B-maintenance road came into view. I saw 4 riders scrambling to the sides of the "road" (see previous post picture). Tyre tracks and footprints littered the entrance, all veering to the grass ditches. I thought I would see how bad the mud really was and charged toward the edge of the road. I made it about 15 feet before the bike bogged down and I couldn't move at all. Nothing to do but walk. It was roughly a mile we had to traverse the ditches of this road. A few places we had to cross to the other side, causing mud to pack up around the tyres immediately if they were allowed to touch the road. But what did my bike in was the cornfield. Remnants of stalks are still plastered with mud all over the frame.

Now that we were riding again my legs felt like lead. There were some good rollers right away and I thought I was working way too hard to continue for 275 more miles. But I know how the long distance thing works and that it is possible to recover so I wasn't worrying about it too much. As I followed the cue sheets, I started calculating distance and time. It wasn't looking good. I knew we had to kick it up in order to make the cutoff. I marveled at the truth that was being revealed by Ken's comments the night before; "You know, there might be a chance we won't make the first cutoff if it's really soupy."

We were about 10 miles out when this stuff was rolling around in my brain. I felt pretty good at that point. I had eaten a tiny bit (thanks Carrie) and the adrenaline was pumping from knowing what we had to do to make the time. I mentioned to Ken that we would have to work to arrive in time. He told me he was working. As much as I wanted to take off and try to make the first checkpoint, I know that paying attention to Ken when it comes to riding is the smart choice. So we rolled along into Monroe about 10 minutes late. Jim and Kevin from Hiawatha Cyclery were manning the stop and it was nice to see some friendly faces. I think they were more disappointed we wouldn't be continuing than we were.

We moseyed up to the Casey's (a staple in most IA towns) and snacked out front, making the plan on how to get back to Grinnell. I realized I needed to drink some more as I had consumed about 4 oz of water over 45 miles. Another sign that continuing on would have been VERY bad. That surely would have come back to haunt me. A change of upper layers and we were ready to limp back.

For some insane reason, we decided to follow our route we had just come, back a ways to avoid some busier paved roads. It turned out just fine, but it does make me question our general thinking when it comes to riding bicycles. The route dumped us out onto a highway and we made our way via blacktop from there, stopping for some drinks about halfway. I felt the hinting of leg cramps and figured some chocolate milk was the ticket. I saw a quart container and almost bought it, but then chose a smaller bottle. After finishing it, turns out the "smaller" bottle was a quart also.

With the winds picking up, it was a slow ride back to the hotel. As this race is all about traversing the back roads of Iowa, the last 3 miles into town were ridden on gravel. By that time, the road was good and dry, but the wind in our face kept our pace low. Ken, always thinking, had cold beer ready for us when we pulled into the parking lot. A quick rinsing with a hose at the hotel, some fuel for the van and us, and we headed for home.

It was nice to rehash the ride coherently on the drive home. Mistakes were talked about. Plans were put into place in case TI V7 happens. All-in-all it was a great couple of days. Even though that was way too long of drive for a 81 mile ride.

"B"feated

Things to remember for my next attempt (if there is one):

1.) Coffee for before the ride - 2:30 is awfully early
2.) Breakfast for before the ride - oatmeal or the like
3.) Sleeping aid - it's REALLY hard to go to sleep before the race
4.) Mud guards - I am too used to riding with them to not use them
5.) Basket Bag - easier access to camera and stuff
6.) Gears

New Shoes

I managed to catch the window to send in shoes for Chrome's "Turds for Gold", and my new shoes arrived yesterday. Don't you just love when you get back from work and there are new shoes waiting for you? I know I do. I have been wanting some new kicks for riding when I don't clip in and these seem almost perfect. Much stiffer than chucks, but still some sweet styling. Maybe I should consider changing pedals for TI, just to make it a little more challenging.

Thanks Chrome!

New Setup

I have been working on gathering parts for the Cross Check for a while and they are all starting to come together. Today was the start of the shake down, to make sure I feel somewhat prepared for Trans Iowa. I was thinking that I wanted to run as fat of tyre as I could, so I opted for the Bontrager XR-1. A 29er tyre, it makes the tag "fatties fit fine" a true statement. They do actually roll with no rubbing (minus the molding whiskers) underneath my fenders. I had to change gearing a little to make sure my rear wheel was all the way back in the dropouts, but there is plenty of room up front. I'm pretty sure they aren't going to make the final build, but they are fun to ride.


Working in a bike shop sure has it's advantages. I sure didn't have to go with the Schmidt hub, or two Brooks mudflaps, but it really gives the bike some nice flair. I think my favorite is the Edelux light that you can just make out under the basket and the very front of the fender. They just happened to have a black one in stock when I was ordering some other items. What luck! I had my Berthoud fenders powder coated and they turned out really nice. I will remember to take the parts to match in with me the next time. I didn't know I would have to choose from 12 different blacks.

Riding my Pake since October, I have missed getting on different bikes. I can't believe how quick this handles, even with all that wheel underneath me. It definitely is a faster ride and it gives me a small feeling of relief that I don't have to work quite so hard. I know it isn't all about the bike, but it isn't all about the rider either. Balance, always.

So don't always believe the specs that are out there for bikes. Sometimes you have to experiment a little. 29x1.9 tyres and 60mm fenders. Optimal fit, no. Functional, somewhat. Fun, absolutely.

Why I ride a bike: Reason #2

Giggling

I took the studded tyres off my bike this past Thursday. Friday when I rode to work I couldn't stop giggling. Actually it fluctuated between smiling and outright laughing, so I will average it to a 6 mile giggle. It's amazing what we can get used to and riding clunky studded tyres all winter was something I DID get used to. But now that I have shed the studs, I don't know how I do it.

Today was even better as I broke out the Schwinn Voyageur II with platform pedals and all. One of the great things about working Sundays is that we get to ride home in the daylight. That changes what kind of equipment I choose for riding. No lights required! With the exception of my skinny 28mm tyres, it is the perfect metro cruiser for me. If it weren't for riding with Dan, I would have been giggling all the way home. There were small bursts on the way to work.

These experiences this week again remind me what I'm doing with this whole bike thing. The freedom of riding is enough to bring giggles to my mouth and lightens my soul. Who wouldn't want to experience that?

Good Ride?

I asked Ken if he wanted to go riding yesterday sometime around 7AM. Wouldn't you know I was out the door by 5:30. Questioning why I would want to give up a nice warm bed to freeze my everything off, I was answered with the moon hanging over Como Park. I was able to ride all the way through the park, enjoy the amazing view, and not be bothered by a single car. Pretty much made the ride worthwhile, and I was only 2 miles from home.

After a short stop to straighten Ken out, we rode out east and stopped for a hearty breakfast. I made the right choice in changing base layers and eating was fantastic. Then it was through St Paul to stop at Hiawatha for some parts for Ken. Somewhere in St Paul I really started feeling like crap. I had upper chest pains and it felt like I wasn't getting oxygen to body parts. I could breath all right, but I had no energy and almost felt dizzy. So I figured I would ride easier and that should help.

We stopped down along the river and that maybe helped a little, but not much. We hung out at Hiawatha for a while and looking back, I think that was a really good idea. Still wasn't feeling good, but I did make it home. I ate and drank a little after I was home and took a small nap. It wasn't until 7 or 8 that evening that I really felt good. Super tired, but good. Slept like a rock the whole night and woke up this morning almost as if nothing happened yesterday but a good ride.

Ken mapped out our route HERE...I added at least 25 miles to the total as the stupid one using studded tyres.

More Bits

My mudflaps and rack bolts came in. I eyeballed up the mudflaps and they are going to work very well. I still wish for a little more coverage behind my rear tyre and a little more to the front of my front tyre, but that's what I get for not making my own fenders. Front and rear may seem like overkill, but after riding behind people around town, I figure less spatter is better. The real issue being, when will someone be behind ME?

As expensive as they are, the Paul rack bolts are almost a work of art. Such precision in the machining is great, even to look at. Not to mention it makes such a difference when needing to perform their function. A word of warning: Be careful of the road you begin to travel. Once you start with the nice stuff, it's a let down to go back.

Coming together

Now that the broomball season is over, it is time to start concentrating on Trans Iowa. I have been thinking hard about the CrossCheck setup and finally started to bring some things together. I spent the better part of today installing my new Bertoud fenders, Nitto M18 rack, and Wald basket. It's not a good picture, but if you look closely you can see all of them. The fenders turned out ok, but there is a little line issue that isn't consistent. Fitting those 60mm wide beasts in there was easier than I thought. I didn't want to destroy them too badly, so therefore I have the line issue.I think the picture makes the rear fender look worse than it is. I had to push it all the way forward to make room for my wheel to come out. The front fender lines are almost right. Now that all those parts are on there, I can remove them to be powder coated. It seems a shame to do that to all those nice shiny pieces, but in the end, I think the overall theme will work out nicely. I don't have the mudflaps yet, but they will be added (they if there is room on the front fender for one).

There are still a couple of items yet to be decided on. I need a computer and some sort of q-sheet set up. I have the crankset and I am pretty sure of my gearing, so I sleep easier because of that. I don't know if my Edelux will fit under my basket, so there may be some engineering to fit it in there. And the coffee cup is just resting in the basket right now. I am hoping to put a mount inside or out to have java along the way.

Training

On my way to work yesterday I came down the pedestrian bridge onto Energy Ln. The St Paul police often use this street for training new officers on protocol when pulling over vehicles. I have been by these vehicles many, many times and I have never seen them move. So I was very surprised when, as I started to pass them, they both pulled away from the curb, cutting me off. No signals. I'm not sure this is what is supposed to be taught new police officers.

I made up for it by not stopping at the stop sign at the end of the street. Take that cops!!
(I do not advocate running stop signs. There is virtually no traffic at that intersection. I did slow down and since I ride really slow, it means I was nearly stopped.)

I am starting to become more and more nervous about Trans Iowa. With the amount of snow and ice around here, it makes training rides less than enjoyable. I am thinking that we are going to have ice encrusted roads for a while yet, and the weeks are counting down. I may have to do something rash...rollers. I shudder at the thought of dusting them off.