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.