Commute Tuesday 08/11/2009

Uneventful cycle commute. Time is still around 2:10 for the round trip. I think its going to take a lot of riding to get under the 2:05 or two hour for a round trip.

Okay, I lied it wasn't uneventful. I got up early (don't ask) and got on the bike by 4:30 AM. I made it to Al's Breakfast in Dinkytown at six bells to meet some friends for breakfast. One pal made it and it was a good thing too. I was so sleepy packing things up, I forgot my cash or my checkbook. So thanks to TM, I got a short stack of the venerable blueberry walnut whole wheat pancakes. Otherwise known as two WW Wally Blues. Or blue Wallies. I get confused at that hour.

Round trip time was close to 2:30 with the extra mileage. Still don't know what is wrong with the odometer. I've even adjusted the thing to the right setting using measured rollout with me on the saddle. (that was the tires sighing "Oy!")

The ride to work and the ride home was uneventful. Okay except for the redneck in the black Chevy pickup who decided that my taking a lane offended him. There was two lanes and little traffic so he was harrassing me for no reason other than his own angst toward white guys (okay he was white too), guys on bicycles, humans, or people having fun. Hope he survives that heart attack.

Commute Friday 08/07/2009

Today's weather forecast, rain. Rain. And more rain.

We need it. We are in drought.

I did ride to work on a bicycle. Most of the trip it merely sprinkled. About Roseville it began to rain harder and when I came across a bus shelter I used it to get out the poncho and then rode the rest of the way that way. I could have used an overhang on a couple of buildings, but waited the less than a mile to use the free shelter without annoying people in a building to keep from getting wet.

Rain slows you down. So timing was slower, but not painfully so. Since it was darkish, I ran the hub generator light. That too slows me down a little. Ride in was one hour and 10 minutes. Cool beans as far as I'm concerned. Ride overall was 2:25, but the wind was worse on the way home although I sufferecd through no actual rain, just ridiculous levels of humidity.

I saw two very miserable cyclist in the hard rain going the opposite way. I was passed climbing a steep but short hill. He was on a light weight and non-fendered bicycle. No racks either. No lights. And I think he was a little younger. So I've got all kinds of excuses to be dropped in the dust. He also had no rain gear, but it was long before it began to rain hard.

I like riding in the rain. It's hard to get out and do it, but it is fun once you get out there. Its cool and quiet. No where near as awful as most think it must be. Besides it makes you feel like SuperMan. Yay me!

Commute Thursday 08/06/2009

Already?

Seriously. Still have soreness in my back area, but otherwise I'm liking this.

When you ride a bike to work, you feel so dang smug. Okay I still believe my poop stinks, but still.

There is nothing like infinite gas mileage to improve your carbon footprint. Take that Prius owners.

Legs are feeling okay. Doesn't feel like I'm going to have a heart attack. I've still got my same old same old numbness in my hands and fingers, but it's no worse than it has ever been. I keep shaking them out, changing positions, and they quickly come back to life. Actually I don't wait for them to get very numb, I do something before that point.

And yeah, had the one close call already. Nitwit on a cell phone in a black SUV didn't quite look ahead before he made a left turn where I was. At least he slowed down and didn't hit me. Just pissed me off momentarily. The crazy flight or fight and baby I'd like to fight him for the drive with cell phone a going. I better get back to praying that oil runs out before he dies so he can suffer. He surely was much younger and I'm trying not to think that I'm saving the foolish planet oil for dorks like him to waste later. Bah, oil bug.

Update: Round trip time was just under 2:14 or two hours and fourteen minutes. This is improvement. I felt pretty good on the way home, not terribly tired or sore. It was a very nice ride and I just enjoyed it.

Commute Tuesday 08/04/2009

So soon? Durn right.

Not recovering that well since the last one. Still a little sore, especially my back. Odd.

I was a wee bit faster though. I had some tail wind in the morning so I think I might have done it in 75 minutes or so. The wind was in the same direction all day.

So I paid dearly on the way home and was seriously beat by teh time I got home. Oh so tired of riding by the time I coasted up to the garage door. Only to hear Sparky bark with anxiety. "Let me out!!!". Sigh.

Just the same my afterage round trip is about 70 minutes. Improvement baby. That's where it's at. Now if I can just push myself away from the snack table I'd be a whale of better off. Pun seriously intended.

Commute Friday 07/31/2009

For the first time in two years, I rode my bicycle to work. Instead of a car.

Why so little riding? Lots of things that don't really matter (here).

My odometer is all hosed up on my Bleriot so I averaged something like 25 MPH which is not correct by a long shot. Maybe dividing by two isn't even correct. I shudder to think.

Bottom line? Oy, am I out of shape.

It took me close to an hour and a half to get about 16 miles to work. I know its not terrible, but there was a time when day after day I did this same route in 49 minutes. Not 82 or whatever it was. But it won't get better if I sit on my butt and whine. I just need to do it more.

Odd thing, my back is sore after I got home.

Red Letter Day!

Some days just go so swell, you wish you could have moved a few things over to another day that went far less well.

I got up on time (which isn't always true) with the plan to cycle. I rode the Hiawatha ride Saturday. Rode to work on the QuickBeam yesterday. I dawdled around packing and drinking coffee. I forgot to go shopping and get anything for breakfast. D'Oh. I did find a bagel that wasn't moldy and it tasted edible when toasted.

While drinking my three gigantic mugs of coffee (emptying a 10 cup pot - cause I'm too cheap to throw any away), I decided to go see any updates from an old friend, Foamy. Made for a hilarious morning. Check out the rant of the day on Imus. Geerrreaaat! As Tony the Tiger might say.

The sun had come up by the time I got out the door and I took the Atlantis. I didn't feel like a messenger bag and the QuickBeam has no racks. Plus I'm feeling a little tired as I am (you heard it here first) in terrible shape. I've been such a turd for the winter. Yuck. Gears can be your friend even when it makes me feel so dang wussy.

Yeah, my butt is a little sore but it was a really nice ride in, dressed right on target. Thin woolie shirt on top with a cheap bright green (florescent - ugly - but visible) jersey on top of that. Shorts and wool leg warmers and wool socks on bottom. Cycle gloves and wool gloves for hand warmth. It felt great.

Got to work and immediately figured out, I'd forgot my locks. I subscribe to the Sheldon Brown theory of locks. Every lock can be defeated if they want it bad enough. You just want to make your bike harder to steal than the next bike. Much like, you don't really have to out run the bear to live, you just need to outrun your friend. Morbid huh? So I use two locks and forgot both. They are in the bag on the QuickBeam. Dang.

I thought, well, I sit very near the entrance and sometimes the guard at that entrance is a real softie. Ouch! The uberfuhrer of all guards was there! So I went in with my badge (I work in a secure building, okay not really that secure, but I digress) and my bag with my lunch and wallet in it. I state, "I stupidly forgot my lock at home. My desk is at XX right near this entrance, I have an open space where I can store my bicycle. May I please bring it in this once? I won't make it a habit." He gets this squinty eyed look, "Why you little dumb ass gun control lovin', liberal minded, green thinkin', global warmin' believin', mo-ron engineer." "Knock yourself out.", he says.

I am stunned. I'd have never guessed. I'd have predicted complete and utter failure. Lucky me. So I roll it in, let them check the bags (small black Carradice front panniers) and get to the shower.

The shower has been cleaned! There has been new shower heads installed! There are lights again, so I don't have to shave my noggin in the dark. I'm ecstatic. What the bleep set this off? I wonder if some new exec in the building took up running? The craziness. I've been trying to get it this clean and maintained for years. Ever since the last decent custodian (Woody, a name said with reverence by those that use the locker room) worked the area. Will wonders never cease.

The question remains. Does this mean I will get hit on the way home???

Pinarello - For Sale

So, I've got this friend, Scott. He's got this sweet bike he doesn't ride.

Did I say sweet, that is an understatement. Its an awesome 59 (23.5 inch seat tube, 22.5 top tube, 5.5 inch stem, 16.5 inch chainstays, measured center to center) red road bicycle. Its an all steel Pinarello, lugged, with a full Campy Record kit. This is a bike with white handle bar tape, brake hoods, and saddle, and they are still white! I am serious. Price? This is for serious collectors, so its not cheap. No damage, no knicks, no scratches, clean and ready to ride. So the asking price is $1,400. Want to see it? Send me an email, or check on the few photos I posted here.