A temporary end to excuses is at hand. I have now biked (triked) to work 3 tines, twice this week since I am down to grad school once a week for now. It is less than 20 miles round trip but better than nothing. At my best (today) I barely averaged 10.1 mph according to the stats but it is a start.
Well I have been riding inside this week and in the first two days hit about 20 miles. I took yesterday off since my backside was a little sore from not being in the saddle that often the past month. I plan on riding daily and hopefully get in good shape prior to next season. Not much of a post because the flat lands in my basement are not that exciting, but hey I can watch movies and have my kids talk to me while I ride.
So my free road bike was too big for me. I think I rode it 81 miles total. 75 miles on the Apple Cider and then 6 miles tuning it up. The previous owner might have taken it around the block. I took the tags out of the spokes.
Riding it was fine...but standing over it was a bit tricky. I ordered myself a similar but better frame off ebay and it showed up with a dent in the seat down tube! So I got upset and started talking to the guy who I bought it from. Turns out I'm a moron and its there on purpose for braze-on derailleur mounts. The old frame had the exact same thing upon inspection!
This free bike is getting expensive, though! The fork from the old bike didn't match well so I had to buy a new fork and well it had to be a pretty carbon one. Then I start looking at the components on the old bike and well gee....I can find used upgrades on ebay.
I ordered some more tools (headset press and fork vise) that I really need before I can do much more and of course I get an email back that the tools won't be delivered until 11/20!! Glad I have more bikes. I could have just had a bike shop press the headset, but I decided I'm going to do the whole build...or at least make the attempt!
And I forgot to take a picture of the old bike before I disassembled it! Woops...
About 20 minutes to disassemble everything I wanted off the old bike and now I just hope to build the new bike by spring! :P
The weekend before, there was 20-foot swell for my annual Mendocino trip, which didn't bode well for prospects of getting into the famous (to kayakers at least) sea caves in the area. This weekend, however, was a different story. When I saw the forecast for 4-6ft swell, I knew I had to get out and paddle along the coast. So today, 3 of us did a one-way trip from Davenport to Santa Cruz, approximately 15 miles by water. This stretch of coast has a bunch of (less famous) sea caves, plus a few rock gardens, arches, pourovers, and other interesting features. The problem is that it's fairly exposed, so you have to choose your day. Today was that day. About half our paddling time was spent in the first 4 miles poking into a bunch of caverns. Some were maybe 6 feet wide and 6 feet high, while others were the size of a football field. After lunch, we decided to pick up the pace a bit. A 10-knot breeze at our backs and accompanying wind waves gave us a boost. The GPS clocked us doing about 5 knots, where a typical paddling speed is closer to 3 knots. We made it back to the harbor as the sun was getting low, shuttled the cars back to Davenport at sunset, and enjoyed a nice meal and beer afterward.
And in this corner riding the Banana Bike we have Component Killer! Today he'll be taking on the undefeated Laws of Physics!! Let's get ready to TUMBLE!
So CK and I went to a ride with the meetup people I ride with. This was the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival ride. Its a 20 mile out and 20 mile back ride from St Charles to Sycamore on the Great Western Trail. If you like flat and straight this is the perfect trail. Its ok to close your eyes for a mile. As long as you don't twitch and turn you'll still be on the trail. Think Kansas.
On the way out we didn't leave any scorch marks on the trail or anything like that. It was a good social ride out there. We mostly rode with just the two of us, but ended up with 5 of us together by the end of the trail. After crossing the parade a couple times (it weaved up and down the streets), we grabbed some lunch. CK's trike was referred to as the Banana Bike by a kid along the parade route. Yes, CK rode in the parade waving at people!
The 20 miles back would prove to be a bit more treacherous. Not a mile out one of the riders ran into the back of CK's trike. I think she hit his tire? Doink...down she goes. Luckily no injuries there on the pavement.
On the way back, we dodged the streets and cut through a park. Not just any park. A park with a 100 degree turn to the right if you followed the pavement. Most people have cut that corner and killed the grass. Not a true roadie though. Respect the grass. Feel that pavement under your tires. And when you're a roadie riding a limestone trail (heavy on the sand, low on the rock), you're going to accellerate as much as possible on those rare occasions that pavement presents itself. And so CK arrived at this 100 degree junction and scorched the earth. With his tires pointing right and his momentum going straight ahead, a disagreement began between CK's desire to turn and Physics. And while an object at rest tends to stay at rest. An object in motion at high speeds with its wheels suddenly pointing sharply to the right will Tumble. And thus CK proved that cows aren't the only thing tippable in the farmland west of Chicago. The trike hopped and skipped over itself before the automatic emergency braking system engaged...otherwise known as CK's face meets the dirt. When the trike was purchased, they hadn't advertised that you could climb under it upside down when you just need a little rest and shelter. I'm pretty sure its not good for 4-season camping though.
No CK's were significantly injured in this demonstration of just how well the trike corners. I'm sure he has some bruises though where he used his forearm to bend the left handle out of alignment. Nothing that was a big deal to fix on the bike either...realign handle, chain off, and a fender adjustment or 2. The trike and rider made it back the last 20 miles from that point. I was right on his tail so I'll have to see if I can pull his speed out of the bike GPS.
And when CK starts twitching when he see dogs, I understand. Every dog was in love with him. "Hey! You're my height! Let's hang out!" I would ride by and they wouldn't look at me...their eyes were locked on CK.
The remainder of the ride back was uneventful...everyone managed to keep their rides moving along nice and straight on the path. I certainly wouldn't call the Great Western Trail exciting, but its a nice trail as far as minimal road crossings. Its also very flat, so its a good place to bring new riders. Although one person turned around 3.5 miles in because it was just too "intense."
With the weather starting to turn and my time to ride in the evenings almost gone it is time to set up the trainer. I cleaned up my bike the other day and broke out the towels for under the bike. Starting tomorrow I plan on riding daily on the trainer. During the week I can easily find 30 minutes to and hour and once the yard work is done I can probably get some 1 to 2 hour rides in on the weekend. The past couple months with 7yo having football 3 to 4 days a week it made it difficult to find the time to ride. Now with the bike in the basement there is no excuse to not spend some time spinning.
Ride On...
