Its Better to Burn Out Than to Fade Away

Am I burnt out? It seems to take me about two thirds of my commute before my legs begin to feel lively. Come on, 40 minutes to warm up . . . and in 70 degree temperatures no less . . .?

I don't think it is anything actually physically going on with my body as I feel absolutely fine in every other aspect, aside from the usual minor mid-life aches and pains. My energy level seems high, I'm sleeping well, rising early so I don't think it is burn out. Shit maybe I'm just fading away . . . my my, hey hey.

My weight is up a little. I had it down to around 170-172 a month or so ago but it has been creeping back up over 175 lately. I think it may be related to alcohol consumption as I can think of no other reason. I'm riding as much or more than ever, I'm not eating any differently. I mean its not that I'm a booze hound or anything. I don't drink everyday. Some days, on the weekend, I may have three or four beers. But when I had my weight down to 170, I wasn't drinking at all thus this unscientific and purely speculative theory.

I suppose I should curtail all my alcohol consumption and see if my weight drops again and then I will have a more definitive explanation. But in the face of a four day weekend perhaps I'll postpone the temperance movement until next week.

Hi-Ho-Hi-Ho, Its Off to Work . . .

I certainly have a mundane life and for this I should be and mostly am thankful however a little drama might provide some blog fodder. As it stands I've not much to really report upon which in the world of bicycle commuting is a good thing I suppose, "no news is good news".

My commute has been great lately. I've had no skirmishes, minor or otherwise, with the hulking beasts belching acrid fumes with which I share the road or more specifically the occupant/operators of said beasts since, after all, "cars don't kill people. . . ".

Perhaps the abbreviated work weeks I've been enjoying the last couple of weeks have contributed to the phenomena. It could also be that school (the university) is out, the snow birds have all flown north and Tucson's population has returned to a more reasonable number for the summer. Whatever it is I should be happy yet I complain about the banality of my life.

One Down - Two Left

So one month is under my belt in the Car Free for Three saga. I've used up three of my four credits (I gave myself four credit days for the week of riding leading up to the "official" start of my car free campaign).

I burned one credit day for a quick run to the bike shop while I was building up the 1x9 version of my bike a few weeks ago. Then I used two credits in one day yesterday. The first was a trip to Ace Hardware to procure some hardware necessary to mount my new Axiom rack (more on that in a few). Then I drove to my eye doctor appointment yesterday afternoon. I know I should have combined the two trips but I forgot about the doctor appointment until after I made the Ace run plus I needed to get the hardware to mount the rack as I didn't want to wait until the evening to be working on the rack in case things, as they tend to do, went awry.

Fedex dropped off my Axiom Streamliner Road Rack yesterday so with all the joy of a child on Christmas morning, I ripped into the package and began the installation process. I'd been shopping around for racks and was pretty much facing the fact that I'd be paying upwards of one-hundred large for a rack that would work on my frame when lo and behold I stumbled upon the Axiom which seemed to be exactly what I was looking for with a 22.95 price tag at ebikestop.

I must say that, while ebikestop does take their time shipping, their prices are extraordinary so if you can wait a few extra days (I've always received my stuff within a week Fedex ground from Colorado to Tucson) I highly recommend them.

While the rack was designed to mount to the brake caliper mounting hole in the seat stay arch it was fairly evident from the start that this was a flawed design and was not going to happen. The mounting bar included with the rack was only about 12 inches too short to span the distance from the rack to the frame. Thus I was forced to improvise. Taking my cue from some of the other rack systems I'd been perusing, I purchased a length of steel from which to fabricate the mounting supports, a few band clamps, screws and nuts. First, I positioned the clamps where I needed them on the frame and on the rack. Measuring between the clamps I cut two pieces of steel to fit. A quick "dry fit" gave me the drill marks for the screw holes. After drilling and another quick dry fit, I filed the rough edges and, for purely cosmetic reasons, rounded off the square ends of the steel supports. Then I painted the newly fabricated supports a matching flat black. Total time (excluding paint drying time) 2 hours, total cost (rack and hardware) 34.95, savings approximately $100.00 over the competition.

The final product seems to be a quality, sturdy rack (much sturdier with my improvised mount if I do say so myself . . . as if someone else were going to say it . . . ) which should serve me well on my PCH Adventure. I like that the rack sits lower and farther to the rear than some other rack systems affording plenty of heel room when pedaling. It has a rather narrow profile as well, keeping the weight close to the bike for a seemingly more stable ride. Although rated at 110 lbs capacity, I rather doubt that to be the case but I should need a only a third of that anyway.

Evolution of a Singlespeed

My 1x9 converted singlespeed is now officially a fully geared touring bike. I finished installing the cable stop for the front derailleur with my trusty JBWeld last weekend. And after a quick rattle-can touch up on the paint, I robbed Peter to pay Paul by confiscating the front derailleur and crankset from my Specialized Rockhopper to install on the Raleigh XXIX.

I know all of you die-hard singlespeeders are looking down your upturned noses in disgust at my sacrilegious despoiling of a perfectly good 29'er SS but neither my checkbook nor my wife were receptive to yet another bike purchase. So for well under $200.00 (150.00 for a new rear wheel), I've built the perfect bike to do the Tour of the PCH and I can always go back to SS mode should the urge strike. That is truly the beauty and functionality of the Raleigh, I basically have 3 bikes in one. The SS, the 1x9 and now the touring bike.

Next up, the new rear rack has been ordered and goes on as soon as it arrives. With no rackmounts, I will have to again use a combination of ingenuity and ready-made problem solvers to get everything installed and functional. But first, my mini-vacation starts today with a four day weekend.

Work Week Revolution

I'm still waiting for my second wind, that mid-week jolt of energy that takes me through the rest of the week but it is Friday and it has yet to make an appearance making it unlikely it will drop-in this week lest my ride home is somehow enlivened this afternoon. As a result, this week's commute has been, for the last couple of days, somewhat of a struggle. On my ride in today, I was forced to take it painfully (or should I say painlessly) slow just to survive the trip. I came to within a hair of calling in sick, sick and tired of working that is, but somehow staved off every part of my being that was pushing me into a sick day.

So here I am, swilling coffee, paying homage to demon caffeine trying to get through the last day of the work week. I'm telling you we Americans have our priorities all screwed up. We should be working four days and taking three day weekends. I think it is time for a culture shift. It wasn't that long ago when the work week was six days. The time has come for a new revolution, time to cut another notch into the sword of worker's rights, time to push for more parity between work and home life. Who doesn't relish the thought of one more day to recreate or, for those unfortunate souls unable or otherwise averse to riding to work, another day to ride?

And the Heat Goes On . . . La de da de de . . .

Perhaps the Sonny and Cher reference is too obscure for the American Idol generation. . . but you've got to love some well placed la de da de de, la de da de da's . . .

Even with the lower, 97 degree, temperatures yesterday, I didn't seem to keep as cool on my ride home as I pushed it a little harder at the front end than I should have fending off an imaginary (the attack not the guy) attack from some guy on a cross bike. My pannier laden, 700x47mm tired, steel, 29'er, 1x9 and I put up a good fight until, inevitably, cross-bike-guy flew by and I came to my senses backing off the intensity but I think the damage was already done at that point.

Then I slept like crap last night after rehydrating a little too heavily throughout the evening and waking up every three hours or so to urinate. No matter, I was back on the bike for a more relaxed ride in to work after a fairly sluggish, caffeine assisted, start to the morning.

Perhaps I'll have a less aggressive approach to my ride home tonight. I've been fairly successful of late, especially since putting the steel-steed into service, keeping the competitive beast in check. But every so often the reins need to come off and the beast needs to roam lest it atrophy into some eunuchized, pathetic, imitation of itself.

But Its a Dry Heat

Summer has come on us a little earlier and a lot stronger than usual and with impeccable timing as I've just begun my car free campaign. And so my vow to refrain from any discussion of the weather is, not surprisingly, consigned to the land of discarded and broken vows along with all so many of those failed vows of marriage.

But my discourse on weather is actually relevant in that I believe I've found the key to surviving the triple digit temperature commute. Now granted, this is my sixth year of commuting in Tucson so I'm not unaccustomed to the fiery blast furnace that masquerades as summer around here. Normally, I've tapered my summer commute to two or three days a week giving myself every other day off to rehydrate and recuperate. The key to maintaining my daily commute and thus staying car-free, I think, is going to be naturally hydration but also moderation of pace.

Yesterday, one hundred and one degrees, I consciously kept my pace slow, drank every ten minutes and even though I was riding into a pretty significant head wind I only really broke a sweat on the climb up Thornydale. I also wore a loose fitting, seer-sucker shirt that seemd to keep me much cooler than my normal "wicking" bicycle jerseys. The seer-sucker, seemed to allow much more air-flow and kept my core cooler than I've ever felt in the same heat wearing a regular, even club-fitted jersey. Thanks for the tip Rivendell.

Car Free: Day Six

Long weekend and a day later, I'm back at it, this blog that is . . . and still maintaining the car free status although I did carpool a couple of times over the weekend with a full carload of people on each occasion. Brought up the subject of my PCH Tour to Lisa which was met with less than enthusiastic support. Actually she supports my efforts but doesn't understand my motivation. Because it is there . . . doesn't really explain in terms understandable to the uninitiated.

I'm beginning to think it will actually be doable. If I can make it through the next 84 days, the hottest part of the year in Tucson, car free, I should be in top shape for the PCH Tour.

Already started some initial planning. Looking at places to stop and stay along the route. The route is chock full of state park campgrounds so that should be no problem. I might only do the PCH route to LA, then AMTRAK it home from there. It is only 38.00 from LA to Tucson on AMTRAK, might be the way to go to avoid making the desert crossing.

Still don't know how people can ship their bikes so cheaply as UPS looks like it will cost $100 or more to ship it to Rohnert Park . . . yet people quote $39.00 shipping for bikes on ebay, through UPS, whats up with that ?

Car Free: Day One

I'm five days into day one of my Car Free campaign as I haven't driven at all this week. But this is the "official" start of my Car Free for Three in which I will try to go 90 days without using a car to get to work or run errands unless there is at least one other person in the vehicle with me (think HOV lanes) or if I have to go out of town on business . . .

Truly one of the benefits of commuting by bike is the opportunity to think. The repetitive motion of pedaling and the rhythmic breathing are reminiscent of the repetitive meditative mantra. When I'm riding, my mind wanders freely. Ruminating at will my mind throws off the chains of logic and rationality amusing itself with gleeful cogitation. Only after I've ridden several minutes in this state of blissful cerebration do I sadly tune back in to the harsh light of reality while trying to keep a thread of those wild mind games in sight for later use.

The other day on my evening commute an idea that I tossed about several months ago resurfaced and rooted itself. Still in its infancy, a mere zygote of a brain synapse barely recognizable as a real idea it has been conceived but begs the age old question, at what point does life, as an idea, truly begin?

And thus, just as I'm entering one cycling challenge, I'm considering another. Would I, should I, could I, tour my way to Northern California for Grace's wedding in October ?

Commute

An uneventful day for commuting is something to celebrate, unfortunately today isn't one for celebrating. Turning left at an intersection, light green, I'm just cruising along entering said intersection in the right hand lane of a dual left-turn lane road when some fool in a Comcast truck decides to turn right at the same intersection. The cross road is a four lane divided highway and this joker decides to turn in front of me into the outside lane instead of waiting until I clear the lane and turning behind me on the inside lane. I was already halfway across the inside lane but apparently was in this guy's way. The way he made the turn had to be a concious decision to cut me off as the most common maneuver is to turn into the inside lane rather than swinging wide into the outside land of the cross-road. I only had time for a quick tug on the brakes to avoid broadsiding the truck bed so I didn't get the truck number otherwise Comcast would have been getting a rather heated call from me. I should be thankful I escaped any damage, I just wonder when my luck will run out as the close calls seem to be happening with increasing frequency lately.

So after a slight spike in my blood pressure, the rest of the commute was uneventful and very enjoyable. I'm quite enamored of my 1x9. It is the most comfortable, easy to ride bike I've ridden. I'm actually thinking of ditching my other rides . . . but I won't. Every true cyclist needs a stable of worthy steeds.

Gotta Do List

I have my honey-do list which fortunately at this time is quite short. But this morning on the way to work, I was thinking about my gotta-do list. Whereas the honey-do list is something compiled, maintained, monitored and performed for someone else's sake in an effort to preserve peace in the home and more often than not keep the house operating effectively and efficiently, the gotta-do list is strictly self-centric. It is a compilation, more often than not, just in my mind, of the things I have to do for me, to preserve my sanity and keep my mind and body operating effectively and efficiently.

By not relegating it to paper it remains an ephemeral list always changing but staying relevant to my particular frame of mind. For instance this morning, as I struggled to get the engine started (my body's engine), I thought; I gotta get back to my training which having no particular short range goals, having been completely disappointed in the race that wasn't and rehabbing my back most of last week, I've let slip away completely.

That led me to think about upcoming races. Unfortunately, race season is coming to a close in Arizona, so anything longer than a month out is going to mean travel, which means money, which, with a wedding to pay for in October means, it isn't going to happen . . . . this year.

There are two more MBAA race series events I'm thinking about entering. The Flagstaff Frenzy on May 16th and the Flagstaff Finale sometime in June. I may be able to swing those financially . . . time will tell. Maybe I can bring some fresh legs to the events and do some damage to the field. . . I said maybe!

Moseying Along

So I slouched off again yesterday under the guise of giving the back another day off the bike and off my ass, as in sitting, which is the one position I can't maintain for any length of time when my back is acting up . . . bad back . . . bad, stop acting up!

Unfortunately I have a "desk" job so sitting is pretty much what I'm required to do all day at work. I manage to stand at my desk as much as possible and use the exercise ball as a chair which minimizes the lower back issues. Yesterday, I put in a few hours working from home alternating between sitting (again on the exercise ball), standing and laying down. Actually managed to get some real work done to boot so its all good.

The combination of muscle relaxers (Skelaxin), ibuprofen, ice, rest and a quick trip to the chiropractor managed to temper the severity of this back episode and in record time. Last night I popped the top off a few Stella-Artois muscle-relaxers as part of my rehab/therapy which had a profound effect on not only my back but my head too. I normally have to ride these things out for a week or two before I have any real relief but here I am, day four and I'm virtually pain free.

Back on the bike this morning for a spectacular commute. I ride so much more relaxed on the 1x9. With its big tires, heavy cro-mo frame and panniers it is just a go slow and enjoy the ride type bike. Normally, when I'm zipping along on my road bike I tend to put more effort into my rides turning them more into workouts than commutes. Must be the sports car syndrome, they are built for speed so it is almost criminal to drive them any other way. But with the 1x9, I can just mosey along at a nice comfortable pace and not feel guilty about it.

Car Free for Three

So my latest brainstorm, as indicated in the title, is to go "car free" for three months.  Now that I've built up my 1x9 commuter,  it is time to rededicate myself to being predominately a cyclist. It isn't as though I've been a slouch,  I still commute at least four days a week (120 miles) but I'm feeling I need a challenge and what better way than to challenge myself with something I love to do.  And as I don't see any opportunities in the short range for any endurance races anywhere close, I've decided to throw down the gauntlet, to myself, which is quite different from self-flagellation and offer up this challenge, this opportunity to rise above the ordinary and do something extraordinary for myself, for my psyche and yes altruistically for the planet as I will significantly reduce my carbon footprint.

 I'm still developing my rules to the game but basically,  any place I have to go I will go sans car. Meaning,  I will walk,  bike, or take public transportation to get there.  Will I still ride in a car? Since I'm unlikely to talk anyone else, namely Lisa, to partake in this venture then on occasion it will be necessary to ride in a car but as long as there are at least two people in the car that would qualify, in my world and this is after all my game, my rules, as an HOV vehicle which is in the spirit of the game.  Additionally, as my job oft times requires me to travel to other areas of the state,  I will have to make provisions for those instances. Essentially, I will use my bike for commuting and running any errands that I would normally use a car and/or when I would be the only occupant of the vehicle.

Originally I'd considered a goal of one year but that may not be realistic.  Then I came up with the "Car Free" slogan and "for Three" just kind of rolled off the tongue.  Since three days is too short as I regularly go far more days than three without a car and three weeks still doesn't seem like a challenge,  three months just seemed to fit.

Just as I formulated this concept yesterday,  I began having back spasms.  I'm  not sure exactly what that indicates but I've been cruising along mostly pain free for a couple of months now when suddenly I'm struck by nearly debilitating back pain.  It was so bad that I had to have Corinne pick me up early from work yesterday as I was unable to sit nor ride my bike home.  

Luckily,  I do feel better today and  a trip to the chiropractor helped as well.  The way I was feeling yesterday,  I thought for sure I would be laid up for several days as that has been my history.  As it stands now,  I'm hoping to get back on the bike either tomorrow or the next day. It is good having sick days at my disposal.  I have 25 hours that I can burn if necessary (three days) for this episode.

So when do I begin my Car Free for Three challenge ?  I'm looking at May 1st as a good start date.

Singlespeed conversion to 1x9

Well I did it. After concluding I have neither the singlespeed mentality (mentally ill that is) or the legs, I converted my Raleigh XXIX singlespeed rig to a 1x9 commuter complete with rear rack and a set of panniers. Now I've got my commute on . . .

The first problem I found myself dealing with was the fact that the Raleigh XXIX SS has only one set of cable guides for the mechanical disc brakes. Jagwire C-Clip Housing/Hose guides problem solvers to the rescue. The only modification I made was to JB-Weld them to the frame rather than use the "peel-n-stick" backing to make them more permanent. After sanding the paint in the areas I planned to attach the guides, I epoxied them in place to allow me to run full length housing from shift lever to derailleur, problem solved. A little touch up paint on the cable guides and sanded areas and it was on to the next task.

Since my macho wrenching caused me to shear off a bolt in the Ergon grips bar-end clamp, I had an extra set of grips and bar-ends with only one usable bar-end clamp. I couldn't find just the clamps anywhere on-line so I resigned myself to using the clamp with the sheared off bolt. I drilled out the old bolt with a larger diameter drill bit, tapped the hole for a 6mm vice 5mm bolt and just like that I had a functional set of new grips and bar-end clamps.

The rest of the build was easy. Install the derailleur and shift lever, run the cable, install a new chainring (40 instead of stock 32), install new rear wheel with a 9 speed hub with new cassette and I was ready for a test ride and it was sweet.

Sunday found me at the GABA Bike Swap on 4th Avenue in Tucson. I sold over $200.00 worth of parts I had laying around collecting dust for a few years and had enough cash with a bunch left over, to buy a set of a panniers I'd seen in the bike shop the day before. Unfortunately, no panniers were to be had at the Bike Swap even though I made two passes through the place before calling it a day.

On went the rear (seat post) rack and panniers, another test ride, a few pannier adjustments and I was in business.

Detour to Ride

Work took me to Phoenix and Flagstaff the past two days which also gave me an opportunity to ride part of the Black Canyon City trail system. I got on at the Emery Henderson trail head in New River, AZ. It was just a quick jump, just over 3 miles, from I17 and just 30 minutes north of Phoenix. It was 2:30 by the time I changed and started riding and I had a turn around time of 3:30 to continue my journey up to Flagstaff. The plan was to ride from Emery Henderson trail head Tuesday and Black Canyon City trail head Wednesday.

The first mile or so is a mix of jeep road and singletrack, well marked and easy to follow. After you hit the serious single track be prepared to climb. Nothing too gnarly, just a steady uphill grind up to the Boy Scout loop. I wanted to ride the loop and come back but could never find exactly where the loop closes on itself. I went out on the East loop which is a tough grinding climb before you hit a series of switchbacks and a fast, fun downhill section. Either the north side of the loop isn't well marked or I didn't venture far enough, though I think I went farther than the 1.2 miles indicated. Maybe one day I'll get me one of those GPS thingys to alleviate the guess work. I did find one junction which may have been the west loop that would have taken me back but it wasn't marked as such and I didn't really have time for any trail finding as my 3:30 turnaround was fast approaching so I continued up the marked trail for a bit before making the turn around.

Coming back was a blast. Pretty much all downhill (naturally since I'd climbed practically the whole outbound way) with enough technical stuff to keep you on your toes but absolutetly nothing that wasn't rideable and fun.

Woke up Wednesday to snow, again with the snow, that is why I left the right (east ) coast and headed to milder climes of Arizona. Two snow days over a five day stretch, way to much for me.

But the snow wasn't the worst part, the 40-50 mph winds were the real deal breaker in my quest to ride the Black Canyon City segment of the trail. So it was just a straight shot back to Tucson and warmer, though still windy, weather after finishing up work on Wednesday.

Dawn 'Til Dusk - NOT!!!

We began our trip Thursday morning. Gallup is about five and a half hours from Tucson. Lisa and I were both excited to be getting away for the weekend on a long overdue road trip. After a quick stop by Oro Valley Bike Shop to pick up a new set of grips (more on that later), we were on our way.

Just north of Globe, we began our descent into the Salt River Canyon. Not exactly the Grand Canyon but beautiful scenery none the less. A serious set of switchbacks takes us down from the rim to the Salt River and then back up the other side.

The entire trip was pretty uneventful. It was a perfect traveling day. Very little traffic to contend with and only a slight detour which took us out through Florence on route 79 instead of directly up route 77 to Globe.

We arrived in Gallup around 5:30 and settled in at the El Rancho Hotel where the "Charm of Yesterday meets the Convenience of Tomorrow". The slogan must have been coined in the sixties since the only convenience of tomorrow I could find was the free WiFi.

It was actually quite a charming place. The lobby walls were adorned with pictures of the old movie stars who had stayed at the hotel during its hey day when many westerns that were coming out of Hollywood were filmed in the area around Gallup.

Our room, the Robert Taylor suite, was comfortable and probably one of the better rooms in the place. It featured a set of old

french doors, leading to a balcony overlooking old route 66. The only issue I had with the room was the absence of a shade on the round window in our sitting room which allowed the neon pink glow from the hotel's sign to shine in the room until midnight when the sign was thankfully turned off. We managed to shove a pillow in the window which helped a little.

A decent but slightly pricey meal was had in the hotel restaurant. Chef salad for Lisa and beef fajitas for me. The fajitas were very flavorful and the portions of both were quite large. The rest of the evening, I spent installing the grips on my bike.

Flashback to Wednesday evening; my grips arrived and I mounted the left grip with no problem. Then I set about mounting the right grip but it seemed a little loose. So I did what any good mechanic would do and used a little more umph to tighten the bolt on the clamp. I didn't think I was torquing it that hard but with a snap, my stomach fell as the head of the bolt broke off. Upon inspection, I found I had neglected to insert the Ergon proprietary washer the clamp uses to apply pressure to the grip and handlebar so I wasn't really tightening the grip but only the clamp bolt which must be made to snap off at certain torque preventing damage to the handlebars. I tried extracting the broken bolt to no avail.

Luckily the bike shop had a set of Ergon GE-1 grips from which I was able to scavenge the clamps to mount the GC-2 (minus the barend of course). So Thursday, at the hotel, I was able to finish installing the grips.

Friday was pre-ride day. After a morning tour of the badly gone to seed downtown Gallup and a decent lunch at Camille's (one of the race sponsors) Cafe, I dropped Lisa back at the hotel and went out to the trailhead for a quick spin around the course. The lousy photojournalist that I am, I left the camera in the car which proved to be unfortunate as it would be my only chance to photograph the trail.

The Gallup High Desert Trail system is truly a thoroughly enjoyable romp in the desert. The race was to be held on a 12.5 mile section of the system encompassing Mesa III and the Mesa II trails. The first part of the ride, a longish climb from the staging area along the ridge of the Mesa with some butt-puckering exposures and several tight switchbacks, found me walking in several spots as the 32x18 gearing on my SS proved too much for these old legs. As I rode, I found myself anticipating the next day when I would have the luxury of gears and could cleanly climb the ridge. The views from the exposed section of trail were just breathtaking. Trail art abounds so look out for mountain lions and bobcats (silhouettes) as well as a myriad of rock cairns (Bikehenge) along the way.

A very good dinner meal on Friday night at Fratelli's Pizza Bistro. I did a little carbo loading with a Murphy's Stout draft and a generous portion of homemade peach ice cream to go along with my "Kitchen Sink" pizza.

As is the norm, I slept very little Friday night before the race. I kept waiting for the sleep that had been sitting heavy on my eyelids after dinner to come but I couldn't seem to sink into sleep. I think I dozed off shortly before two a.m. so the 4:50 alarm wasn't a welcome intrusion on my slumber.

I rattled around the room a few minutes before remembering the weather forecast. I opened the balcony door and was greeted by a blast of arctic air, the sound of a gentle rain and a very wet morning. By the time we dressed and left for breakfast, the snow had begun to fall. The wet, heavy snow came down all through breakfast letting up just as we left the restaurant.

At the staging area, we found the race had been delayed until 9:00 but we made our way down the muddy road to the staging area to find a place to set-up. As the sun rose, the weather seemed to break up somewhat finally becoming sunny just before the rider's meeting.




The decision to postpone the race at least until noon was announced at the race meeting under sunny skies but to the west I could see the clouds gathering and knew in my heart the race was doomed. Parts of the course, according to the race director, were unwalkable let alone rideable. The combination of some tricky exposures on the opening climb, muddy trail conditions and 200 or so riders made for a dangerous mix and a prudent decision to at least postpone the start to see what the weather would bring.

I couldn't see the course conditions improving much in the ensuing two hours and decided to head back to the hotel and call it a day. After showering and packing, I peeked outside where it was pouring rain. When we checked out the snow had begun and we had near white out conditions as we left Gallup. I knew for sure at that point there would be no Dawn til Dusk race for me, or anyone else, this year.

At least I had pre-ridden the course on the day before which as it turned out was the best day of the weekend but I was pretty disappointed that I didn't get a chance to compete.

Out for Delivery

Always a welcome message when checking the UPS tracking site. Like Christmas morning, I get all giddy and excited for my latest goodies to arrive whenever I see that my stuff is "out for delivery". So I should have my grips, a nicely cleaned and adjusted bike now it all comes down to the packing. I think layers are going to be the theme for Saturday with temps ranging between 30 and 55 degrees during the race. I know it is sacrilege for us desert denizens to wish for no rain and I don't really, but I hope the rain either comes early or holds off until Saturday night/Sunday.

It is a good thing that today is my last work day this week. Last night on my ride home I was almost taken out by a kid pulling out of a parking lot. He looked directly at me but still nearly plowed into me as I went by him, it refreshed my memory that even though they are looking at you they aren't neccessarily seeing you. Close one that was.

Then this morning I had a run in with another driver. Two in less than two days is not a good omen.

So this morning, less than a half mile from the house, I'm approaching an intersection where I need to turn left. It has a left hand turn lane and the light is red so I diligently look to my left and rear, there is a grey van about 100 yards behind me so I signal my intentions and begin to move over into the turn lane when Mr. Blue Shirt in said van quite unnecessarily voices is displeasure at my maneuver and lays on his horn. Startled and completely taken by surprise I reacted, without thinking, with a single digit wave of my own (my bad) but truly the horn was simply gratuitous. Then as the corpulent swine passed me, after we both made our left hand turns, I couldn't help but stare him down and mouth what I had visually indicated with my upraised finger just moments earlier. What a fatherless, rattus (rat bastard).

I did enjoy the rest of ride though. Having pushed it hard again on the way home last night and in anticipation of this afternoon's forecasted winds (20-30 with 45 mph gusts), I just spun an easy gear helped along by a slight northerly breeze.

The Wheels on the Bike Go 'Round and 'Round . . .

On the Sunday shakedown, I noticed a little play in the rear wheel after I locked down the QR skewers so last night I pulled the wheel off, cleaned, repacked the bearings, and adjusted the pre-load to the correct amount. I have two more nights to finish cleaning, lubing and adjusting everything so I'm trying to do it in logical back-to-front process. Tonight the drivetrain, including cranks and bottom bracket.

I found the cause of the rattle in my shift pod was just a loose (not lost) cover screw, quick fix on that, yeah.

Still waiting for my new Ergon GR-2 grips to arrive. I've been tracking them daily and UPS still says they should be here by the 8th. Nothing like taking it to the wire. If all goes well that should be my last "wrench" duty of the week, installing the new grips.

Stepped up the intensity of my morning commute today but not the entire distance. I figure I need to keep my muscle memory tuned in on how to go hard but I don't want to over do it. Also, I've taken to watching my nutrition this week. I've been upping my carb intake (complex carbs as much as possible, whole grains, fruits and veggies galore) and trying to eat a little bit every three to four hours to get the glycogen stores up for the long ride.

Thursday it is off to Gallup, Friday a pre-ride of the course and Saturday (30-40% chance of showers, low 30 high 53) the big day . . . . must remember to bring warm clothes. Hope the change doesn't throw me off too much, it is going to be 90 today in Tucson so 53 (and wet) sounds pretty ominous.

Wheelbuilding 101, Homemade GOO, Shakedown

My dilemma was that I needed a new 29'er wheel to mount my "city tires" so I could have a quick change between trail and road ready SS machine and the new wheel had to accomodate disc brakes. Alas, I had a spare 700cc wheel that had been lying dormant for a few years now but with a standard hub and I had a spare disc brake compliant 26" wheel from which I'd hijacked a few spokes. The fix, rob Peter to pay Paul, I deconstructed both wheels, with the intention of using the rim and spokes from the 700cc wheel and the hub from the 26" to build my new wheel and my first attempt at wheel-building.

• Step one, nervously tear down both perfectly good wheels knowing that I may be left with a pile of worthless junk.
• Step two, consult The Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair for a clue as to how to begin.
• Step three stop and knock a few honey-do chores off the list.
• Step four build the wheel.
• Step five-ten, true the new wheel.
• Step eleven admire work, marveling in the fact that the wheel is actually true and usable (spin it a few hundred times in the truing stand while staring gape jawed in wondrous awe at the new wheel).
• Step twelve mount the tire.
• Step thirteen test the new wheel on a short ride this morning.
• Step fourteen, save $150.00 (minimum) by reusing parts and not buying a new wheel.

That was Saturday.

Sunday, time to log a little kitchen time to make homemade gel and bars. For the gel, I used the formula/recipe here http://jibbering.com/sports/gels.html as the basis. The result was a fairly palatable product for a fraction of the cost of pre-packaged gel. I made the apple-cinnamon outlined in the article and an espresso flavor substituting an espresso/agave syrup (for the fructose) in place of the apple juice.

Energy bars: I can't remember the webpage where I found this recipe so I apologize in advance for plagiarizing their work here it is with my modifications:

Ingredients

• 3-1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup agave syrup (my substitution as it is a lower GI than the corn syrup suggested)
  
• 2 scoops (each scoop is about 4 tbsp.) protein powder - I used vanilla flavored; any flavor will work
• 1-1/2 cups nonfat dry milk
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup juice - I use orange/banana/pineapple juice; orange juice is fine
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped dates/cran-raisins mixed
  
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional and not part of original recipe)
  
• 1-1/2 bananas, mashed

1. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients in a bowl (mix the dry ingredients together before adding liquid ingredients, then mix everything)
2. Put 1/4 to 1/3 cup piles on cookie sheet or parchment paper on a cookie sheet, flatten and shape into bars (think Clif bar).
3. Bake at 325°F for approximately 15 minutes or until the bottoms of your bars are golden brown
4. When they’re done, take them out of the oven and let them cool.

Next up, a final shakedown for the bike. I wan't real happy with the position the stock stem put me in and I'd tried another stem I had laying around and that one wasn't quite right either, too long. So on the way home Friday night I stopped by the LBS and picked up a new stem that sits right between the two sizes I'd already tested.

So I rode up to Dove Mountain along the gravel shoulder to pick up the State Land Trust trail a little 9-10 mile loop with, (I'd forgotten how much), a bunch of wash/sand crossings. The new stem seemed to do the trick and the new suspension settings I dialed in last weekend worked really well on the washboard, hard-pack part of Moore Road, I think the ride will do nicely this weekend.

When I picked up the trail, I noticed a very discernible rattle emanating from the front-end/handlebars which I couldn't seem to pinpoint. Finally, at one point, my fingers felt the cap of the shifter pod move as I touched it and I'd found the culprit. I lost a screw somewhere along the line that holds the shift pod together. Glad it wasn't something more serious. The ride was about 2:45, just right for a Sunday afternoon shakedown. The sand made for a little harder workout than I'd wanted but once I remembered how to ride the sand (spin a very easy gear, like climbing and try not to let the front wheel turn) it wasn't too bad.

I used some of the homemade gel and gatorade to drink with decent results. I think though for the race, the gatorade will need to be weakened a bit. I made it a little more diluted than full strength but it still seemed too sweet, especially when coupled with the gel.

Hurts So Good, Oh Baby Make it Hurt so Good

In celebration of yesterday's glorious weather and in lieu of taking the long way home, I hammered out a half dozen intervals on the ride home last night. A painful but necessary part of training, or so I'm told . . .

Actually the intervals weren't all that bad, I say now several hours and a good nights sleep later. But isn't that the wonderful thing about the human brain, it doesn't really remember pain, the actual pain. You can remember you were in pain but you can't actually recall the feeling of pain. They say women wouldn't give birth more than once if it weren't so.

Nevertheless, my legs felt the results this morning so in the spirit of tapering down my training and laziness (TGIF), I shortened my commute today, driving partway and biking the rest (about 5 measly miles).

I'm going to try my hand at wheel-building this weekend. I figure I'll practice on some old rims and hubs I have laying around to see how it goes. If all goes well, I will move on to building myself a nice set of wheels, maybe some Chris King or Industry Nine hubs . . . schweet!

Also going to try to make my own energy gel this weekend, I'm the quintessential do-it-yourselfer I suppose. I figure if someone else can do it, I can do it too, cheaper and more often than not better.

April Fools

So my youngest (18 yr old) daughter Corinne calls yesterday and informs us she is getting married to her boyfriend and they are moving in with his parents. You see she was supposed to come home in a couple of weeks to live having decided it is a little too tough on the "outside" right now to try to make a go of it in Northern California. So after stringing us along for a few minutes she lets us off the hook with "April Fools", whew!

Just grinding out the garbage miles commuting to work this week. Keeping it pretty mellow for the most part. Been pushing it a little bit on the ride home but haven't had the gumption (does anyone even use that word anymore?) to attempt any intervals or anything strenuous like that. Considering taking the long way home tonight as the winds have calmed and it looks like they will return tomorrow.

Actually on second thought, I remember the last time I took the long way home a couple of weeks ago that they are doing construction on Oracle road in Oro Valley and it was pretty butt-puckering riding the white shoulder line with concrete jersey-wall six inches to the right and rush hour traffic on one of the busiest roads in Tucson screaming by six inches to the left. I think I'll take a pass . . .

My current trail bike is a Specialized Rock Hopper Pro pretty much stock except for the SRAM x.9 transmission and shifters I upgraded to when I first bought the bike. I converted the Specialized 2Bliss (tubeless) ready tires to an actual tubeless set-up but that is about the extent of it. When I bought the bike I tried to get a Stumpy 29'er but there was a six to eight week backorder and I'm not a patient man. The price was right and I've been fully satisfied with the rig. . . but I'm always looking to upgrade.

I'm also riding a stock Raleigh XXIX SS with a 32x18 set-up that I bought this past fall and my commuter is a Specialized Allez Elite which I've had for almost three years now.

I lovingly maintain all my bikes myself. Cleaning and lubing after every ride as well as servicing top to bottom front to back on a regular basis. I can and do pretty much everything except the most advanced mechanical (facing bb/head tubes, etc). Being meticulous with the maintenance really does make a bike last a long time. Of course I'm not bombing huge drops or anything to radical so that probably helps.

After travelling around the blogosphere reading the posts about the current weather in nearly every part of the country with thier tales of snow, hail, sleet, freezing rain AND wind, man, I realized I have absolutely no reason to complain about a little wind (although I probably still will on occasion).

Celebrate it or Ignore it

I'm reading, again, Tom Robbins "Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates" and there was a line in there which I read last night regarding the weather.  There are only two things to do about the weather, celebrate it or ignore it.  

Great sentiment and quite timely for me as I'm getting a little nervous about the upcoming weather for the race.  We've had a pretty unstable weather pattern over the west that doesn't show any signs of improving any time soon.  What we need is a big old high pressure dome to settle in and just keep all the junk out but it is still a little early in the spring for that to happen.   Snow is in the forecast for Gallup this coming Saturday but it is a little too early to prognosticate much past that.  I guess I should just ignore it then and see what the next ten days bring.

I can't seem to find any past results for the Dawn-til-Dusk so I'm not sure how many laps I need to finish to be competitive. I'm racing in the +50 category and hoping to finish at least 8 (104 miles).  Hopefully that will be enough to put in a good showing.

I think I have the long now I have to get the fast but damn intervals are so boring . . .

I observed a strange phenomena on my ride to work today. Invariably I pass numerous runners along my commute especially along the river park and as I approach the university. By far the majority of the younger runners, in their twenties (or younger), all seem to be women. Don't get me wrong,  I'm not complaining but it seems odd that there are so far fewer men of that age running.  Are they just not keeping fit,  or do they exercise in other ways?

Conversely,  most of the older runners (of my age or there abouts) are by far men.  So is it some fallout from Title IX manifesting itself or are there other reasons why so many younger women run than men? 

Heavy Legs and all

Great morning for the ride to work. Coolish - mid-40's - just a slight breeze but nothing compared to the last few days. Mom nature gives us a respite today but tomorrow she is supposed to kick in those winds again. I've been feeling the affects of the wind born dust, assorted pollens and other allergens and I don't even suffer from allergies.

Took half a day off of work yesterday to care my back injured, semi-bed-ridden better-half and completely broke my training diet with a Carl's Kentucky Bourbon six-dollar burger, fries and coke. 970 calories (440 from fat) for the burger alone, I don't even want to know about the fries and coke now . . . tasted so good and I was guilt-ridden the rest of the day. Beef . . . it's what sits in your colon putrifying for days on end.

Back on the bike this morning and the legs still felt heavy despite two days off since my 50+ miles on Saturday. The first few miles were the worse. By the time I finished the morning commute, my legs were starting to fire on both pistons again.

I've incorporated some core strengthening exercises into my training program. After riding on a bad back in the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo, I realized how much I needed to focus on that part of my body. I was miserable during my laps at the race and never want to feel like that again. So far I think it might be paying off as my four plus hours on Saturday were virtually back-pain free. I brought an exercise ball in to work to use for alternate seating during my most recent back issues and it serves as a visual reminder to do some core work everyday. I've also taken to spending a good portion of my normally sedentary work days standing at my desk rather than sitting which has also seemed to help tremendously with my back problems. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all.

Good, long ride on Saturday, fifty-one miles in around four hours and forty minutes of riding. Felt pretty good throughout. Very little back pain, legs felt strong until the end, so I'm feeling pretty good about the upcoming race.

I test drove the new egg-beater pedals. The absence of the SPD's definitive "click" took some time to get accustomed to but that is the only real complaint I have with them. I really like the way they hold my shoe and I felt very connected to the pedal. I was surprised how much differently they feel from the SPDs. I feel much more solidly connected to the pedal so I don't think I'll be going back to SPDs anytime soon. Glad I ordered an extra pair of cleats for my spare shoes.

I do think, I've decided on riding geared in the Dawn-til-Dusk. The singlespeed has been an awesome training tool and riding fully rigid has inspired a new confidence in my riding skills. I think I will miss the 29 inch wheels. I was riding much more aggressively with the big wheels. Next weekend, I'll ride geared and 26 inch wheels for a quick refresher.

The little lady has made her wishes quite clear so I spent the day Sunday trying to organize all my crap . . . er . . . bike parts. It is time to off-load some stuff on e-bay to pay down the bill on all the parts I've been investing in lately. Now that I've weeded through the stuff though, I'm thinking about building up an old frame into a commuter/touring bike. I really only need a new suspension corrected rigid fork to complete the build as I have all the other necessary parts so for around $50-100.oo I get a new bike to put in the commuter rotation. You can't beat a deal like that and I'm so sure it will please the wife.

New Pedals - Go 'Cats

New pedals came today. Decided to go with "egg-beaters" this time around, aesthetically I think they fit the spartanly, singlespeed look. Simple, elegant and functional what more could you ask for? Hopefully they will be as effective as they look. I'll have a full review Monday.

Planning on another long Sunday ride although from the weather outlook Saturday looks to be the better day as the wind is supposed to start kicking up again Sunday afternoon. Either day looks decidedly better than anywhere else this time of year. This is the last hard weekend, I'll start tapering down my training in the next two weeks leading up to the race.

This is the time of year that used to kill me when I lived on the east coast. Just about the time we expected winter to loose its icy grip, spring would bring too much variety and unpredictability. We would have a few unbelievably gorgeous spring-like days followed by several absolutely nasty, cold rainy days. Then as summer settled in, the pea-soup humidity would oppress even the haughtiest spirits. Man I love the weather here. Sure we get pretty warm in the summer, but it is still more rideable at 104 degrees than at 24 degrees.

Arizona plays number one Louisville tonight, actually in about 13 minutes. Go 'Cats . . . and good luck, I think you are going to need it to move into the elite eight.

Wind, Wind and More Wind

Tuesday's ride home was into a pretty good headwind which is the norm for March and April in Tucson but it does make for a long, grueling ride at times. You might think, as I do, that I'd be accustomed to the headwind by now but it never fails to frustrate and annoy. Despite Monday's layoff, my legs were feeling the fight by the time I made it home.

Last night, the wind was more out of the north northwest, so taking advantage of the mostly cross-wind, I seized the opportunity and time-trialed the river path on my westward journey home. Kept up a pretty good 19-22 mph pace for the short 5 mile stretch. The great thing about the river path is that there are no traffic lights and it is mostly flat, just about perfect for time trialing.

With the promise of more wind, red-flag warnings and 20-30 mph winds gusting up to 45 today, I wussed out this morning and drove part way to work. I took the singlespeed to at least give me some semblance of a workout. Still waiting for my new "egg-beaters" to arrive replacing the pedals I tore up last weekend so I had to throw on an old pair of mallet pedals this morning. With all the road construction on Mountain Avenue, I even hit a bit of dirt along the way.

New wheels or new bike ?

Took a day off yesterday, after my long, singlespeed epic on Sunday so body and legs felt incredibly rested and strong. If I wasn't commuting, I may have even run up the intensity level somewhat. As it was, I kept it moderate for most of the commute. What a day, temperature in the low forties to start. I donned some bib shorts, base layer, jersey and arm warmers to complete the ensemble. Started off a little chilly but warmed up nicely after about 15 minutes staying comfortable for the rest of my ride in to work.

Not sure if it is me, getting stronger, or my bike getting older, but I noticed the last few times I've ridden that when I really try to put the hammer down the rear end seems a little sluggish. It doesn't have the same responsiveness I remember it once having. Time to test ride a few bikes? Sure, my beloved wife will really take to that idea. We who are trying so hard to get out of debt sinking a couple of grand into a new bike . . . there it goes do you see it that lead balloon . . . maybe I just need a new set of wheels. . . that does seem to be where the lag is coming from.

I seem to remember bonktown.com having a set of FSA RD600 on sale for around $350.00. I may be better able to talk the fair one into that investment rather than ten times that for a new bike . . . now if they just come around again on bonktown . . .

But that is some funky flange design on the RD600, maybe I better shop around a little.

Thanks for the help, Weekend training

Just want to give a shout out to the guy in the Slipstream jersey who took turns pulling with me down Moore road on my ride home Friday night. I was grinding out the last few miles of my longer commute when I came upon two riders ahead of me. I caught them and enjoyed a little pull up the road until it was safe to pass them. A few seconds after I went by, the lead rider of the two caught me and moved in front of me so we traded pulls for a few miles which really made the ride easier. After a quick nod and "good work" he dropped back, I assume to wait for his buddy while I continued on the long, gradual descent down Thornydale to home with a satisfied smile on my face. . .

Saturday found me knocking out some of my "honey-do" list and just generally being lazy. Two movie night, Role Models (hilarious) and Milk (not hilarious, though well acted). The only effort I put into my riding, was getting everything ready for the long ride on Sunday.

Sunday dawned bright, and I found myself chomping at the bit to ride. So out to Willow Springs for a couple of laps around the 24 Hour course. Halfway around the first lap, I tried to unclip to open one of the cattle gates, couldn't get my right foot out and went down hard on my right forearm. After several minutes of cussing and kicking at the ground, I inspected my pedal and found that it essentially had imploded. Two of the four fixing bolts that connect the cage to the spindle had come out, both on the same side causing a catastrophic failure. I was able to remove the cleat anchor and hold the pedal together with some wire that I found near the gate. When I finished the first lap, I was able to use the lug wrench from my car to bend the cage back to its mostly normal shape. Then used one of the four fixing bolts from the other pedal to hold everything together, minus the cleat anchor.

As a result, I rode my second lap half clipped-in and half out, which wasn't bad until I nearly busted a nut negotiating a sketchy section of trail when my non-clipped foot slipped off the pedal and I came down hard on the saddle followed by some more of the aforementioned cussing . . .

I managed to ride my four plus hours, singlespeed no less, and felt really good. Had plenty of leg left to keep going and I may have if I had two fully functional pedals but with the recent nut-busting still etched in my mind, I felt it better to leave well enough alone and call it a day.

On my second lap, I saw two rattlesnakes; one about a three footer crossing the trail that got kind of pissed when I came near, he curled and rattled as I gave him a wide girth. Then I saw just the tail end of another, as he cruised into the underbrush alongside the trail and he was a monster. His rattle alone was at least three of four inches long. If you are riding in Southern Arizona beware, they are out and about . . .

Starting to feel optimistic about the upcoming race, I think I'm almost ready.

Singlespeed or Geared ?

That is the question I hope to answer over the next two weekends as I wind-up then wind-down for the Dawn til Dusk 12 Hour Race. Trying to get two good four to six hour rides in over the next two weekends (to go along with all my garbage miles). I hear the Willow Springs area, the site of the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo , calling me out. It is the perfect place to ride singlespeed, mostly flat (12oo ft of elevation gain/lap), fast singletrack. The Dawn til Dusk course gains about 1600 ft per lap with a pretty similiar profile so it should be a good test of my legs on the singlespeed.

I guess the real question is why, for my first solo endurance race, am I even toying with the idea of singlespeed ? I mean I'm not a complete endurance neophyte. I've done several 24 Hour races as part of a five person team and one as a duo. I've never done any on a singlespeed and have only recently become involved in the "singlespeed scene". I've done a few centuries, on the road. So I know how to suffer and have fun at the same time and that is ultimately what it is all about for me, fun. Will I get that on my singlespeed? Maybe after this weekend I'll know a little more.

Riding to work today, I thought how fortunate I am to live in a place where riding is a 365 day a year option. Today's forecast, for the first day of spring, highs in the mid-80's today, no rain, a few high clouds, just absolutley perfect riding weather. I left the house this morning around 7:25 with the sun trying to burn off the cloud cover that kept our overnight temperatures in the sixties in just my shorts and short-sleeve jersey. A little cool starting out but after ten minutes I was perfectly comfortable. I rode a moderate pace most of the way and felt okay, not real strong but fine. This afternoon I plan to take the long way home, 27 miles, before my rest day tomorrow. Legs should be fine for Sunday's big ride . . .

Garbage Miles

The idea of "garbage miles" popped up the other day and I've been mulling over the idea ever since. I mean are there really any "garbage miles"? I commute to work at least four days a week, thirty miles a day which constitutes the bulk of my training. I don't do a whole lot of intervals, I certainly don't do them with any consistency, I mainly just ride mostly at moderate exertion levels. Sometimes I push it a little harder and sometimes I just spin comfortably. No charts, no graphs, no databases, no heart rate monitor, my bike computer is used mostly for the clock and speedometer (I even took off the cadence sensor) just alot of riding. So I guess most of my commuting miles should be considered garbage miles, but I don't buy it.

I find any strict training regimen tedious and boring. It could be argued that is the reason I'll never be anything but an amateur racer, but actually it is really simpler than that. I only came to this sport about five years ago . . . at the age of 45, so yes that would make me . . . well do the math . . . that is the reason I'll never have a sponsorship deal with exception of maybe Viagra, or Depends and who wants those logos all over their riding kit?

Relentlessly sticking to any kind of training plan just isn't in my genes. I've tried and failed. I ride to work for my sanity, driving and traffic drive me nuts. I ride for my health. I ride because I simply love riding. I put in around 120 miles a week commuting. Add another 50 to 100 on the weekends and I'm looking at quite a few garbage miles every week but life without them would be so much less enjoyable. So garbage miles ? I'll take them. I'd be far worse without them.

I'll find out in a few weeks if they've been any benefit at my first solo endurance test, Dawn til Dusk in Gallup on April 11th.

So excuse me while I take out the garbage, I have some training to do.