Registration is open for Charm City 'Cross at Bike Reg.
The race is Sunday 9/24/06 in Baltimore, MD at Druid Hill Park.
Old-time hockey, Eddie Shore...Toe Blake.
Plenty o' twists, turns, dismounts, & fast too.
Channel your inner Belgian and come to Charm City for the race & stay for the weirdness.
Registration order will be a factor in staging order (after UCI points, last year's final MABRA standings, and a couple of discretionary call up's) so sign up today!
Sand pit Dutch-style
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Charm City CX is up on Bike Reg
Friday, August 04, 2006
Charm City 'Cross Course Map
Here's the preliminary course map for Charm City 'Cross.
The track was good last year, but the laps were a little long.
We've shortened it up, eliminating the paver stone out and back.
The stairs might get the axe too, depending on what the officials say.
There may be other tweaks too, but it'll be good.
Count on plenty of twists, some off-cambers, straight power sections, a sweet sand pit, and the natural dismount around the tree. Bike handling, cross skills, strategy, power, & speed will all be needed.
Be there Sunday 9/24/06. Registration on www.bikereg.com soon.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
The next adventure
Shenandoah Mountain 100
Sunday, September 3rd
details here
Pour les grimpeurs, plenty of climbing
100 miles, great trails, tons of climbing, saddle sores, hamburger hands, camping, good food & beer.
Who else is in?
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Wilderness 101 finisher
803PM Melanie finished in 13 hours! I just received this picture message on my phone.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
More required Tour reading
For those of us desk-bound during Le Tour reading about the race is about as good as it gets during the day. Fortunately, there's a ton of excellent writing out there. I've already mentioned Martin Dugard's blog and here's some more good stuff to get you through the day.
Sam Abt has a nice Tour piece most days in the International Herald Tribune.
Check out this colorful commentary on the Tour and L'Etape du Tour from former pro Paul Kimmage.
And, as always, the cyclingnews.com live updates are always well written and entertaining.
Here's an excerpt from this morning:
13:17 CEST 67km/120km to go
Brard leads the peloton, resplendent in his tricolore French champion's jersey. Leader Pereiro is in fourth wheel, with the long mullet of Vladimir Karpets flowing in the wind behind him.
That's good shit.
Enjoy today's stage to L'Alpe d'Huez. It's a cool place...really a mecca for cyclists, both road and mountain bike. We were there in 2004 and here's a look back at our experience.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Fair Hill
I ride the mountain bike a lot. I pretty much enjoy any type of cycling, but riding the trails brings me the most enjoyment.
However, when it comes to racing my focus is on cyclocross. I've done less than 10 XC mtb races in my life. It's not that I don't enjoy them (even though they're really really hard) it's just that with a limited amount of time to devote to going to races I choose to use that time for 'cross.
The last time I started an XC race was at the 2004 Race for Chocolate. That one didn't last long as I blew up my chain about 15 minutes into the race. Since then all I've done is a few endurance events.
Earlier this year I decided to race Fair Hill for a couple of reasons...the trails and the training. The trails at Fair Hill are a seemingly endless ribbon of fine singletrack. It's tough to pass up a chance to ride these trails without worrying about getting lost. Plus, with 'cross season quickly approaching I needed to get in some hard training. There's nothing like a mountain bike race to work you over and make you stronger.
I picked up Bernie at 6 and we rolled up 95 for the 45 minute drive. Bernie likes to punish himself and since he had never raced a mountain bike he was looking forward to the experience. We warmed up by riding down a long gravel road connecting a bunch of horse paddocks. We also took a peak at the last mile of trail before the finish. I was surprised to see that it was pretty muddy. Baltimore had not received any rain, but Fair Hill had been dumped on the night before.
I don't mind slick trails, but they usually mean a harder race and more mechanical issues...not to mention being covered head to toe in horse poop.
Staging for our race was a bit intimidating. There were huge numbers of riders in each class, with over 40 in just our Sport Vet I (35-39) field. We were staged behind the Sport I and Sport II's so that was close to 100 riders in front of us, with even more staged behind. It was going to get crowded once we entered the singletrack.
The start was on a long (~1.5 mile) double track farm road. Given that our race was pretty long at 23 miles and I haven't raced this year I didn't want to go too hard at the start only to blow up later. I rolled up the road in about 20th place with guys doing stupid shit to move up a place. It was like a cat 4 road race. I just held my spot and stayed in line until we approached the turn into the singletrack.
By then a number of guys were fading from the initial effort. I moved up to about 15th heading into the woods. From there I started to pass guys whenever I got the chance. There were a number of spots where guys bobbled on a slick climb or lost traction on a muddy rock or root. I was trying to stay relaxed and not fight the trail.
I had moved up onto the tail of the leading group and was feeling really good. I had recovered from the initial effort, was flowing in the singletrack, and was in a good position somewhere around 5th.
So just as I was settling in for the long haul I took a fast left hand bend and felt my rear tire start to washout. "Uh oh...not good" I muttered to myself. It wasn't flat yet, but it was down to about 20 psi. I was bummed, but there was nothing to do but stop and fix the problem, most likely a pinch flat from slamming a root during a pass.
As I listened to rider after rider whiz by I tried to decide what to do. I was anxious to get back in the race without losing any more positions. At first I was just going to jam a CO2 big air on the valve and fill 'er back up, but since I was running tubes and no sealant that would have been a very dumb thing to do. So I proceeded to do a very slow tube change as all of my class and most of the SS class passed me by.
At this point I was initially bummed, but I was out here to ride some great trails and do some training, not necessarily to get a result. I got back on my bike with the goal of passing as many guys as possible and having fun.
I was still feeling good and passing a lot of riders. I caught up to Fort James, who was in the SS class. He and I rode together for a while. He said he was dying, but he was still riding well. He really helped me out by giving me a head's up on a short & very steep rocky climb and encouraging me to pass a big group on another climb. Together we passed a couple of large groups before having to dismount on a climb that was crowded with walkers. That was frustrating but we still passed a few more guys during the hike-a-bike.
On a couple of the insanely twisty sections the race turned into a logjam with a train of riders held up by riders that were not feeling the flow. Every curve turned into a brake check with riders coming together and kissing tires. This was really tight singletrack with very few places to pass. All I could do was use these spots to recover and save energy.
As soon as possible I passed and hit the gas to get away from the logjam. Without a line of riders in front I could ride these sections much faster with the same amount of effort. Although I would slide in many of the curves the Maxxis High Rollers always grabbed and kept me on course.
I caught the next big group of riders on one of the exposed field climbs. With the blazing sun and stifling humidity these things were like death marches. I was suffering, but I knew that the open climbs were the best places to advance through the field. I was doing a pretty good job of measuring my effort and trying to save a bit for the end. I was picking off guys that were fading during the last quarter of the race.
I managed to catch and pass the 4th place rider in my field and kept rolling in search of the first 3. I didn't know how far ahead they were, but I was going to keep pushing until the finish.
On one of the late climbs I was starting to feel the cramps coming on. I grabbed a handful of sport beans out of my pocket and gobbled them up, washing them down with the last remaining fluid in my Camelbak. I tried to keep the effort steady to avoid locking up. I was still moving pretty well when resurgent Fort James passed me flying up the hill. He was totally kicking ass and charging.
This fired me up and I tried to stay with him. The cramps started coming back so I settled back down and kept rolling. Other than the cramps I was still feeling good. I passed more guys by riding a rocky climb that they were walking. It hurt, but I knew it would hurt more to get off and walk.
After passing the 2 miles to go sign I was psyched. Bernie and I had pre-ridden this section and I knew there was nothing too challenging the rest of the way. I kept the pedals turning and cruised ahead in search of 3rd place.
Then my chain blew up. I wasn't even pissed...I just laughed. It happened as I was riding up a short rock-covered rise. I wasn't shifting and I wasn't even putting a lot of torque on the pedals.
It takes me a while to fix a chain even under calm conditions with the bike in a stand. On the trail, mid-race I'm all thumbs. I did a quick calculation and then started running.
I ran and pushed my bike until the quads started cramping, forcing me to walk. As soon as the cramps subsided I'd run again. So this was how I finished the last mile and a half or so of the race...running, walking, and pushing my bike. A bunch of guys passed me, including 10 in my class putting me at 14th, less than 4 minutes out of 4th.
Melanie's comment was that at least I had gotten in my running for the week! 8-)
In any event, I had a blast and got in some fantastic training. Without the flat and broken chain I might have gotten a decent result but I'm not at all upset about it. I got to spend the morning riding amazing singletrack with a bunch of cool people.
Bernie finished up saying that this was the hardest thing he's ever done on a bike...and he's done some hard races on the road! Hopefully he'll be back out on the mtb soon.
The Delaware Trail Spinners put on one of the very best races in the country. From the course to the organization and army of volunteers they do it first class. Based on the number of racers that show up every year there are a lot of people that agree.
I don't know if I'll be able to get out for any more mtb races this year, but I'll be back to Fair Hill next year for sure.
Friday, July 14, 2006
A must read
Martin Dugard's Tour de France blog is a must read.
The dude is a fantastic writer. He really captures the ~experience~ of being at the Tour.
Check it out.
I'll be doing the Fair Hill mtb race this Sunday. Hopefully I won't suck too bad, but my expectations are pretty low. I just want to have some fun and get in some hard training.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Joe Cool
FW:
Originally uploaded by cbnystrom.
Melanie sent me this camera-phone photo of Thor chilling at the pool today.
I miss some cool stuff while I'm at work, but the bills won't pay themselves.
Melanie sent me this camera-phone photo of Thor chilling at the pool today.
I miss some cool stuff while I'm at work, but the bills won't pay themselves.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
random shite
I love my mac, but it's turning into a piece of shit. It's painfully slow and the battery dies after only 15 minutes of use.
Now I have to keep my laptop plugged in so that I can use it...or stare at the screen while it locks up.
The trails are finally good after all of the recent rains, but the creeks have changed dramatically. I ate it in one today when I hit a bunch of rocks (that didn't used to be there) in water that was deeper than I expected. I went over the bars, slammed my ankle into my crank, and landed half in the water. Gee. It was still a good ride with 3 hours out on the trails, but my ankle is bruised and pounding tonight.
Yesterday I knocked out a couple of 15 minute LT's...or I should say they knocked me out. Between those and today's ride I'm exhausted right now.
I'm confused...
My co-workers tell me I've way skinny, but in cycling terms I'm still a pretty big dude at 6'1" and 175 lbs. My ass gets dropped in a hurry when the road goes uphill for any extended time. There's no way I'm getting below 170 (due to my love of Mexican food and a Belgian beer now and again) so I'll continue to suck on the climbs. At least in 'cross the climbs are usually short. As for the co-workers I'll tell 'em to jam another doughnut down their throats! I guess even if I'm a non-skinny bike racer I'm still thin by pork-o-american standards?
I'm pretty sure I'm doing Fair Hill on 7/16, my first xc mtb race in a long time. I think I'll be good for about 20 minutes and then blow sky high, puking on the side of the trail as I fight off cramps.
Speaking of fat asses...how about Boonen. In today's TT he looked like a giant compared to most of those guys. I know he's anything but a lard, but in relative terms the guy is huge.
Levi totally shit the bed today. What the hell was wrong with him? I think he's capable of winning big races, but maybe his head isn't quite in it sometimes.
Bobby J looked like a rag doll going down in that bend. He's another guy that maybe was feeling the pressure of being the team leader.
Disco tanked it and T-Mobile were stellar. I foresee a tough battle for the Phonak boys. If T-Mobile plays their cards right they should be able to win the Tour. Hell, if Jan were still racing the race would practically be over after today's TT.
Will any team be able to control the race in the mountains? No way. Floyd is going to have to do some chasing of his own. No doubt, it'll be exciting. More crazy shit is sure to ensue.
I was on vacation all last week so life is good here...plenty of riding and family time. I could get used to this.
Good night.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Kaboom!!!
The Tour just exploded!
With the consensus top two of Ullrich & Basso suspended and withdrawn from the TdF who are the favorites now?
Vino, Valverde, Cadel, Floyd, Levi?
Shit, maybe someone like Simoni or Mayo will rise from the ashes.
Will there be other revelations during the tour? Kaboooooom!
Although I'm bummed about what's happening it should make for an interesting three weeks with a wide open race and more melodrama than a soap opera.
It does seem that a good chunk of the peloton is doped up to their eyeballs and this could be a watershed event for the sport. Will there finally be some major changes?
If so, which way will it go?
-Shorter, less brutal races that don't require athletes to resort to cheating? Maybe this works if they can implement a testing protocol that actually works.
-Legalize everything and let the best athlete with the best medical program win?
I've never been under any illusion that these guys are completely clean. That doesn't take away from my enjoyment of watching the races.
I enjoy riding and racing my bike. I'm glad that I don't have to make a living doing it, because it seems like it's a lose-lose proposition. You either race clean and watch the cheaters denigrate your efforts...or you join the cheaters, lie through your teeth, and try to ignore your conscience.
Something tells me that all the bullshit would take away from the joy of riding a bike.
On to a happier subject...only 86 days until the 'cross season opener here in Charm City!
Thursday, June 29, 2006
North Rim of the Grand Canyon
Another adventure is in the books.
The journey began with a flight to Vegas, drinks by the pool, a sweet new pair of green & orange Pumas, sushi at the Wynn, and some sleep.
The next morning we were up early lugging our gear next door to the Mirage where we were meeting our guides from Escape Adventures, Erik Klausen and Jared Fisher. These guys are tireless workers, amazing riders, and always full of great stories and banter. Jared and his wife Heather own the company and they have found a way to make a living from their passion. Word.
From Vegas we drove through the Virgin River Gorge to St. George, Utah and Fredonia, AZ to pick up the rest of the 10 guests. On the way we passed some legendary locations for riding and sightseeing, including Zion, Bryce, and Gooseberry Mesa. It was a bit of a tease to be so close and not ride, but we were heading to a pretty magical place. At least we have many reasons to get back out there.
Leaving Fredonia we immediately started driving up the Kaibab Plateau, a magnificent National Forest nestled along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We had to stop at Jacob Lake for gas and water so we picked up some Fat Tire Ale for the cooler too. Is there a better post-ride beverage?
A couple of primitive dirt roads later and we were out of the van setting up our bikes and getting ready to ride. Melanie was on a Santa Cruz Blur and I was riding a Superlight.
Santa Cruz Superlight
Day 1 was a ride on the Arizona Trail. The singletrack, trees, and meadows were gorgeous. The climb known as Mission Impossible 1 was steeeeep, loose, and challenging, but doable.
We pitched our tent on a cliff edge overlooking a view of the Saddle Mountain Wilderness and the East Rim of the Grand Canyon. I inaugurated "The Groover" and slept well under the the intense canopy of stars in the sky.
"The Groover"
On Day 2 we rode across the Kaibab Plateau on singletrack and old jeep tracks over to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Stands of ponderosa pines, blue spruce, and aspen framed the trail in the woods while wild grasses lined the way in the meadows. We checked out Crystal Spring, but me and my stomach were too chicken to fill my bottle there. Fast downhills and a couple of awesome, but nasty, climbs accentuated the mostly rolling ride. I'm used to the short, steep climbs of the East Coast, but I tend to ride well on the longe climbs out West where you can get into a rhythm.
By lunchtime we arrived at North Timp Point on the North Rim where we would camp for the next 2 nights. After a quick lunch we rode part of the Rainbow Rim Trail over to Timp Point, a 6 mile round trip.
The view from North Timp Point
The Rainbow Rim Trail is an 18 mile stretch of world class singletrack along the North Rim. John Neeling created the trail less than 10 years ago with a goal to make one of the best trails in the world. Without a doubt he succeeded. Unfortunately, John passed away on May 14th, 2006. By all accounts he was good guy and a national resource for his stewardship of the great outdoors. The Rainbow Rim Trail is a fine memorial of his life.
On Saturday we rode the Rainbow Rim trail out to Parissawampitts Point and back, a 30 mile ride on 100% singletrack. The one word I would use to describe this trail is "FLOWING". Every foot of climbing is rewarded with a fast and twisty descent. There were many moments of pure joy on this ride. We were grinning and yelling and overflowing with stoke. Oh, and the views were pretty good too.
Singletrack on the North Rim
Rainbow Rim Singletrack
Steamboat Mtn
Post-ride we would wash off some of the dirt with waterbottles, drink a Fat Tire, eat dinner, and spend a couple of hours sitting on the ledge taking in the sunset. After a long day of riding this was both a relaxing and soul-moving experience. It really puts a lot of the day-to-day bullshit of "civilized" life in perspective.
The minute the sun had set a powerful warm wind began to blow up out of the Canyon and onto the Plateau. This kept the temperature perfect for sleeping while filling the forest with a soothing white noise.
Watching the sunset from North Timp Point
On our last day we road a bunch of old jeep roads up and down through the forest to Indian Hollow Overlook. For the first two hours it was all climb > descend, climb > descend, over and over as we traversed the fingers jutting out to the rim. Even though this was jeep track some of the downhills were washed out and very loose...fun!
At one point we rode right by a section of burning forest.
Forest Fire
We later learned that the entire Kaibab Plateau had been closed that day due to the fires. Nobody else was allowed to enter. In fact, by the next day the Forest Service was escorting the remaining visitors out of the forest. The fires had picked up and jumped the highway leading to the Plateau. We were lucky to even get our trip in! But if we had been denied access to the Canyon we still could have ridden at Gooseberry. 8-)
on fire
Towards the end of our ride on Sunday we were racing along a jeep road in a group when one of the other guys attacked. I jumped out of the saddle to accelerate, but after half a pedalstroke something bad happened. I lost all tension in the drivetrain and I was thrown forward onto the stem of the bike. My left foot came out of the pedal and I was pretty sure I was going down, but managed to hold it together. It was sketchy.
I rolled to a stop and checked out the bike. The chain was fine, but the wheel was very wobbly. There were no broken spokes, but the rim was bent. I guess my massive power taco'd the wheel when I accelerated. ha! 8-)
Jared worked some magic and got the wheel somewhat ridable for the last few miles of the trip. Jared is a great guy and destined to be a legend in mountain biking. He loves to ride his bike and take on insane challenges.
He's done 24 hour solo races (including Solo World's) and Montezuma's Revenge all on The Pig. The Pig is his bike. The Pig is an Ellsworth Dare DH/Freeride bike that has 9 inches of travel and weighs about 65 pounds. The Pig is a pig, but Jared can ride the shit out of that eff-er both down and UP hill!
At Montezuma's Revenge he lugged the Pig up Gray's Peak, a tough 14er. Most racers strap their lightweight XC bike to a backpack for the very long and technical hike up the mountain. Then they hike most of the way back DOWN the mountain.
Jared pushed the Pig all the way up, sometimes using the bike as a ladder on the rock climbing sections. Once at the top he asked which way for the trail to ride down. The dumbfounded race official tried to explain to him that it wasn't possible to ride a bike off the mountain. Undeterred, Jared pointed his bike downhill and hung his ass over the rear wheel and rode his bike down to the bottom. He crashed a few times and at one point there were boulders crashing down around him, but he made it down in around a half hour. The previous record for the descent from Gray's was about 2 hours. He also managed to place 9th in what is probably the hardest race in North America.
The dude is not normal, but he is super nice and a fantastic guide. He and Erik worked their asses off and always kept us entertained with stories from rides and previous tours.
Us with Jared
Me checking out Jared's bike, "The Pig"
65 pounds
24 inch wheels, 3 inch tires
9 inches of travel front and rear
After lunch at Indian Hollow we hopped in the van for the long drive back to Vegas. The stop in St. George for a blizzard from the DQ Lounge was nice, but the 3.5 hour traffic jam 20 miles outside of Vegas was not so sweet. It was 110 degrees and even hotter considering the heat coming off the highway. We had to turn the AC off to keep the van from overheating so we were kicking some serious funk!
Instead of getting into Vegas with time to hit the pool, clean up, and grab dinner we were cutting it tight to make even our flight. In order to spare our flightmates we did take 5 minutes for a hobo shower in the Mirage bathrooms. I don't think the Mirage staff was too psyched about that, but we didn't care.
We made it to the airport in time to eat some crap and drink a beer at Chili's before boarding our redeye flight. We scored spacious seats on the emergency row and I slept the entire way home! That was nice, but we were still luggage when we got home.
We had been missing Thor a ton so it was nice to get home and see him. We all went out for Mexican and got to bed early.
We rode about 16 hours in the 4 days and a rest week is in order. Since we've gotten a shitload of rain here it'll be easy to actually take that restweek and stay off the trails for a few days.
I would highly recommend doing a trip with Escape Adventures. They are great people and know all the best trails. Plus, they will take good care of you. Check them out in Vegas at the Las Vegas Cyclery or in Moab at Moab Cyclery. The do trips worldwide so I'm sure they have a flavor for you.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Rainbow Rim video
We're back from our mtb hippy adventure to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
1 night in Vegas, 4 days of riding, camping, & dodging forest fires on the Kaibab Plateau. It was amazing!
I'll get the photos and story up in the next two days.
Until then here's a quick video of Melanie climbing part of the Rainbow Rim trail. This 15 mile trail of 100% singletrack is one of the best on the planet. Each climb is rewarded with a fast, swoopy roller coaster descent. And every couple of miles the path heads out onto the rim with exhilarating views of the Grand Canyon.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Exposing the problem
I don't know if this an effective way to bring about change, but you have to give them credit for their creativity and having the balls to do something. I couldn't find any photos.
From UPI
Mexico cyclists streak the capital
MEXICO CITY, June 13 (UPI) -- Cyclists rode through Mexico City in the buff to
protest increasing car traffic.
About two dozen cyclists sped through the congested streets of one of the
world's largest cities with the slogan "respect bike riders" painted on their
bodies Saturday, El Universal reported.
The demonstrators said they had to take extreme measures to address the
pollution problem in the capital and to prompt motorists to respect cyclists
and the few bike lanes in Mexico City.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Ambience
I'm testing out using YouTube to post videos.
Here's a glimpse of the intersection of bike culture & cafe culture from the Summer of 2004.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Doing the laundry
Thor is now walking all over the place. He loves to push buttons, whether they're on the phone, TV remote, or in the laundry room.
06-02-06_1743.jpg
Originally uploaded by cbnystrom.
06-02-06_1743.jpg
Originally uploaded by cbnystrom.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Friday, May 19, 2006
Bike To Work Day
05-19-06_0723.jpg
Originally uploaded by cbnystrom.
Today is National Bike To Work Day.
I got my stuff together last night so that I could roll out of bed and hop right on the bike. When I awoke and entered the bathroom to brush my teeth I could hear the sound of steady rain hitting the roof and gutters. Not that I'm afraid of riding in the rain but I was happy when I checked the radar and saw that the showers would be ending soon.
After getting dressed and grabbing the rain cape I fired up the Gaggia for a shot of espresso and headed out the door. The rain had stopped, but the roads were wet. Heading down Ilchester I can hit 50mph without much pedalling, but I took it a little easier this morning.
Wet roads and slick manhole covers on the curves can be scary at that speed.
Thistle is always a great climb and moreso early in the morning. It's long enough to get into a rhythm and never steep enough to reallly hurt. Plus, it feels and looks rugged with trees, rocks, and a tumbling stream being the only things lining the road.
At the top I headed over to Oella and worked my way to the No. 9 Trolley Line bike path. This is a cool little rail-to-trail path that climbs from old town Ellicott City up the bluff to Edmondson Ave.
Edmondson is a good road for commuting. It has a wide shoulder and pretty light traffic.
I cruised down Edmondson for a ways and then hung a right on Overbrook to cut over to Frederick Rd. Frederick takes a more direct route into the City. It gets a bit gritty, but is not bad until it becomes Pratt St. just West of downtown.
I usually hop on the Gwynns Falls trail before getting to the hood, but today I was running a few minutes late so I stayed on Pratt. It's a pretty nasty area with trash all over the place, potholes, boarded up homes, and junkies on the streets. Depressing stuff. There are plenty of people out and about so I feel safe, but I wouldn't want to stop and hang out.
Getting closer to downtown and the accompanying traffic I slotted into the flow of cars and rolled across town. Instead of heading directly to work I pedalled over to City Hall for the Bike To Work Day Rally.
The Rally was well done with plenty of volunteers and a lot of bike commuters milling about. There were T-shirts and other swag for everyone and a drawing for some kind of stuff. Caribou Coffee provided some damn good product and Whole Foods had a nice spread of pastry, bagels, and fruit. It gave me warm fuzzies to see all of the bike freaks out in a display of solidarity in our car-centric society.
I couldn't stay for the entire rally as I had to get over to the veggie-bacon factory where I work (at least that's what I tell Thor). I got the expected comments from my lazy colleagues as I walked onto the trading floor. Actually, I can't blame them for making fun of the lycra monkey suit. They're good people, but many of 'em are still fat, lazy, and completely fucking clueless with respect to the benefits of riding a bicycle. I can at least hope that they'll show some respect to cyclists knowing that it might be me out there on the road.
Well, it's time to get back to bacon production and mapping out a better route for the ride home.
Today is National Bike To Work Day.
I got my stuff together last night so that I could roll out of bed and hop right on the bike. When I awoke and entered the bathroom to brush my teeth I could hear the sound of steady rain hitting the roof and gutters. Not that I'm afraid of riding in the rain but I was happy when I checked the radar and saw that the showers would be ending soon.
After getting dressed and grabbing the rain cape I fired up the Gaggia for a shot of espresso and headed out the door. The rain had stopped, but the roads were wet. Heading down Ilchester I can hit 50mph without much pedalling, but I took it a little easier this morning.
Wet roads and slick manhole covers on the curves can be scary at that speed.
Thistle is always a great climb and moreso early in the morning. It's long enough to get into a rhythm and never steep enough to reallly hurt. Plus, it feels and looks rugged with trees, rocks, and a tumbling stream being the only things lining the road.
At the top I headed over to Oella and worked my way to the No. 9 Trolley Line bike path. This is a cool little rail-to-trail path that climbs from old town Ellicott City up the bluff to Edmondson Ave.
Edmondson is a good road for commuting. It has a wide shoulder and pretty light traffic.
I cruised down Edmondson for a ways and then hung a right on Overbrook to cut over to Frederick Rd. Frederick takes a more direct route into the City. It gets a bit gritty, but is not bad until it becomes Pratt St. just West of downtown.
I usually hop on the Gwynns Falls trail before getting to the hood, but today I was running a few minutes late so I stayed on Pratt. It's a pretty nasty area with trash all over the place, potholes, boarded up homes, and junkies on the streets. Depressing stuff. There are plenty of people out and about so I feel safe, but I wouldn't want to stop and hang out.
Getting closer to downtown and the accompanying traffic I slotted into the flow of cars and rolled across town. Instead of heading directly to work I pedalled over to City Hall for the Bike To Work Day Rally.
The Rally was well done with plenty of volunteers and a lot of bike commuters milling about. There were T-shirts and other swag for everyone and a drawing for some kind of stuff. Caribou Coffee provided some damn good product and Whole Foods had a nice spread of pastry, bagels, and fruit. It gave me warm fuzzies to see all of the bike freaks out in a display of solidarity in our car-centric society.
I couldn't stay for the entire rally as I had to get over to the veggie-bacon factory where I work (at least that's what I tell Thor). I got the expected comments from my lazy colleagues as I walked onto the trading floor. Actually, I can't blame them for making fun of the lycra monkey suit. They're good people, but many of 'em are still fat, lazy, and completely fucking clueless with respect to the benefits of riding a bicycle. I can at least hope that they'll show some respect to cyclists knowing that it might be me out there on the road.
Well, it's time to get back to bacon production and mapping out a better route for the ride home.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Mountain Biking Ethos
I'm working on a Lodi post, but until then this photo pretty much captures the spirit of the thing.
George raced in the Solo class. He had just finished his last lap and was enjoying some chocolate milk before cracking open a beer. The dude exemplifies the mountain biking ethos. No word on where he got the prom dress or what kind of chamois he was running.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Havin a good time...here today
With family in town yesterday I took the day off to spend time with them. Work pays the bills, but there are many more important things in life.
The highlight of the day was getting to take Thor to swim lessons. He loves playing in the pool and is getting comfortable with the concept of buoyancy. Next up is blowing bubbles. I think he'll be swimming by the end of the year.
In the afternoon my father-in-law and I built an enclosure for my compost pile...exciting shit, I know...but it was actually a lot of fun. A compost pile is a great way to brew up some organic matter for the lawn and garden. I'd much rather use the compost than dump a bunch of chemicals on the ground. We've been tossing coffee grounds, grass clippings, as well as fruit and veggies from the kitchen on the pile. It's decomposing quickly, kicking off heat and producing some dank soil...mmmmmm.
I also got out on the mountain bike for an hour and a half. My legs were pretty sore from a solid block of riding so I took it easy and enjoyed the mild temps and sunny skies. I'm going to be suffering at Lodi, but ya gotta start somewhere.
145 days until the first cross race so there's still time to find some legs.
Some static started in the pool hall...
When I lived in the city...
There was a pack of rats living in the alley.
Dogs wandered the neighborhood crapping on the sidewalk.
The bums dug through the trash cans & pissed on the side of the building.
Neighborhood robberies & burglaries were a weekly occurence.
I had to pack up the car and drive 15 minutes to get to the mtb trails.
Now that I live in the 'burbs...
There's a family of foxes living in the back yard.
Deer wander the neighborhood eating flowers.
The groundhog out back digs in my compost pile.
I can leave the garage door open and the doors unlocked.
I can ride my mtb 2 minutes and be on the trails.
I enjoyed my time in the city, but I'm a lot happier now.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Lodi
It's on...
Melanie and I are now registered for the 12 Hours of Lodi Farm next weekend.
We're racing the duo class...though I wouldn't call it racing; more like training and having fun riding the mountain bikes.
This will be my first time pinning on a number since Providence.
I'm looking forward to the action and community of a mountain bike race...and experiencing it with my wife!
Word.
Speaking of the word "word", Jazzfest started today. Jazzfest is one of the coolest, most fun things a person can experience. Music, Food, People, Late Nights, and that weird (wonderful!) NOLA vibe. Cheers to the great city of New Orleans! We'll be back soon.
Word.
My commute
I rode my bike to work today.
Between wanting more time on the bike and not wanting to spend more $ on gas I converted my 'cross pit bike to a commuter.
I kept the set up pretty much the same with a 42 tooth chainring up front and a 12x27 cassette in the back. The top-mounted brake levers make it easy to ride on the tops and the 'cross geometry is comfortable for steady miles with a full messenger back slung on my back.
I only made a couple of changes. I mounted a flashing light on the seatpost and I put some beefy tires on the wheels. The tires are 700x32 Bontrager Hard Case monsters. They're heavy and thick...perfect for commuting through the glass strewn streets of Baltimore.
My route between home and work is about 15 miles so I'm in the saddle long enough to get a decent workout each way. Plus, there are a couple of decent hills that are made harder by the bag on my back. The extra weight is a reminder to lay off the pizza and ice cream!
Most of the roads are either low on traffic or have a very wide shoulder. There are a few spots in the city that are a little rough and run down, but not in a dangerous way.
Going into work I have a nice climb early and then the rest of the way is slightly downhill.
Coming home I'll have a slightly uphill grind which is usually into the prevailling wind (ouch!) and then I have a mean climb (18% grade) at the end...double ouch!
I'm not sure how often I'll commute by bike. I'm hoping to swing it once or twice a week depending on the logistics, weather, and other plans. Aside from the benefits of exercise the commute makes me feel all Euro. I can almost imagine riding by the canals and popping into the coffeeshop after work for happy hour, but that would kind of counteract the training.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Amsterdam
The Amsterdam t-shirt finally fits, though he'll probably grow out of it in a few months.
Thor had a great birthday and I was able to get out for a quick mtb ride during his nap.
Speaking of Amsterdam, bike capital of the universe, I'm working on setting up my pit 'cross bike to commute to work. Driving is for chumps. I need to get more hours on the bike and save some cash so riding the bike to work a couple of days a week is the way to go. The commute is about 14 miles each way which should make for some good riding if I can figure out all of the logistics.
I need to mount some beefy flat-resistant tires and a rear flasher. I can use either the bar or helmet mounted night light if there's not enough light in the mornings. I'm not going to bother putting on a big chain ring. I'll spin out the 42 on downhills, but that's not a big deal.
My biggest issue is stuffing work clothes in my messenger bag. I still have to wear a shirt and tie, except on Fridays when I can go bare-chested 8-). I suppose I could get the shirts folded at the cleaners...or just ball them up and go with the wrinkled look.
Happy Birthday!
Thor had a good 1st Birthday.
He was eager to impress his audience standing and hanging onto his new chair.
And then he suddenly let go of the chair and started walking toward the kitchen.
These were his first independent steps and he was excited about them.
He then exercised his newfound independence by walking all over the room trying to pull things off of tables.
By the time the cake came out he was pretty tired and not very interested.
Thus, a huge sugar buzz and subsequent crash was avoided.
We're hoping to keep him from getting hooked on sweets (even though it's the American Way) so we were happy that he didn't plant his face in the cake.
So now he's one and the fun has really begun!
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Do you remember?
On the ride last night I had some old school tunes going through my head. In high school one of my favorite bands was Husker Du. Back then the energy of the music and the emotion of the lyrics was the perfect soundtrack for the anxieties of high school life. These days the words are poetic and offer a glimpse back at those days, but they don't connect with me the same way. I'm just in a different place. However, the music still gets me going. The driving rhythm and searing guitar are good fuel for putting the hammer down on the bike.
I was into punk and indie rock back then, but I didn't relate to the so-called "punks" in my area. They were more into image. I was too much of a dork to care about image or what my hair looked like or what t-shirt I had on, but I really had an affinity for the music and the ethos. I think it helped encourage me to use my brain, question things, and think for myself. High school was ok, but I really didn't enjoy it.
I did have an amazing group of close friends and together we managed to work hard and also have a lot of fun...mostly playing street hockey!
It's good to look back and think about where we were, see where we are now, and dream about where we'll be in the future. It's also important to have a good soundtrack...enjoy the ride!
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Standing
Today Thor was in his crib for the afternoon nap, but instead of sleeping he decided to stand up and start yelling. This is the first time he's stood up in his crib, so it's pretty cool. It also means we need to lower his mattress so that he doesn't launch himself out of the crib and onto the floor!
Today is also my second week doing the Tuesday Ronde, a friendly slugfest around the plentiful steep hills of Ellicott City. Sweet suffering galore! Intervals are good for the body and the mind.
Yet again my bike is a disgrace...flat tire, dirty chain, unraveled grip tape, cleats moving around, and a bottom bracket that squeaks like a mother! At least I can tell myself that I wouldn't get dropped if my bike weren't falling apart. Time is tight and my first cycling priority is actually riding my bike. Maintenance happens when some time free's up...rarely these days.
I'm issuing an open invitation to any out-of-towners that want to do a mountain bike ride in my backyard, Avalon. I'll provide the $5 tour and a beer on the porch post-ride...maybe even fire up the grill.
The trails are primo perfezione right now.
Time flies...don't wait to enjoy life.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Lounging
Thor was having his bottle while lounging with the cat.
I was lounging too after a nice ride at Avalon with Chris Perkins, Poz, Young, and Johnny.
Poz and Perkins put on a show with some sweet jumps and other radical shit.
I've been doing a lot of riding solo lately so it was nice to get out there with others.
Trying to follow Poz on the downhills was a cool challenge.
Two solid days on the mtb had my legs feeling the burn, but I really felt good both days. Slowly but surely the fitness is starting to accumulate. It's just the beginning of training for me, but I think I'll be going really well later this year.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
La Chouffe
After a solid tour de patapsco on the mtb we hit Frisco Burritos for lunch. Whadayaknow...they have La Chouffe! Damn, that's a good beer!
Friday, April 14, 2006
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Vacation
We just returned from a week down in Florida visiting family and getting in some beach time.
Siesta Key is one of the best beaches in the country with sand like powdered sugar and amazing sunsets.
Thor loved playing on the beach and splashing around in the pool.
I didn't get any bike time, but I did do one run. It was supposed to be a 3 mile jog, but turned into a 6 mile sufferfest due to some inaccurate information. I felt great for the first half hour, but my legs were hurting the last bit. They're still a little sore, but getting better.
This time last year I had done a lot of training and a nice block of Spring races. This year I've been having fun on my mountain bike working on technical skills like jumps, drops, and riding skinnies.
Now it's time to start doing a bit of training to awake the legs from their slumber and prepare for some mountain bike racing. That means I'll be getting dropped early and often on the Tuesday Ronde, but ya gotta start somewhere.
I figure by the time cross season rolls around I'll either be really fresh or really slow. I've got an amazing CX training loop in the park next to my house so that should help. I'd much rather do intervals on a cyclocross track than on the trainer or road.
It looks like I'll be kicking off my racing season with the 12 Hours of Lodi Farm. Melanie and I are planning on racing as a duo team. This should be a fun way to jump start the training and soak up some of that tasty mtb vibe. I'm missing doing some of the better road races, but overall I'm really enjoying my plan to take it easy in the early season. There's more to life than bike racing and finding the right balance makes everything more fun.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Drum Circle
Thor was totally digging the big drum circle on Siesta Key Beach. He was banging on drums and shaking his little tamborine and maraca right with the beat.
We had to leave early to get him fed and ready for bed, but he didn't want to leave.
Cool stuff.
We had to leave early to get him fed and ready for bed, but he didn't want to leave.
Cool stuff.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Water Monster
A crappy day at work stays at work.
How can I be in a bad mood when I have this water monster waiting at home???
Yeah, work has been a hassle, but it's not reality.
Don't buy into any b.s. about loyalty & commitment when it comes to dealing with a corporation.
The ~man~ is not looking out for you beyond when it's in his own best interests.
I'm fine with that as long as I know it up front.
Just let me do my thing and leave me alone.
Enough of that. I work hard, but work is not near the top of my priorities.
It's a means for me to provide for my family and live my life.
And I've been enjoying it.
We're pretty well settled into the new digs. We're putting a patio & deck out back. The patio is done and the deck should be completed by next week. With Spring here it'll be nice to chill out back.
I've been getting in one or two early morning mountain bike rides during the week...plus both days on the weekends. I'm really not training, but I'm getting enough riding in to not get fat.
My road bike has had a flat tire for 2 months and I've been doing beginner freeride stuf --> jumps, drops, riding skinnies. Shit, I might have to get some baggy shorts and platform pedals!
Riding the mountain bike has been a nice change. Our move has coincided with one of the driest Springs ever. That means tight, fast, DRY singletrack!
I just got back from meeting the family for lunch at Banjara. Thor was absolutely loving the Indian food. He couldn't get enough. It was pretty funny to watch. Hopefully, it won't tear through him tonight.
We're trying to swing it to do the 12 Hours of Lodi Farms in early May. I really hope that works out.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Monkey
So Melanie got a new camera cell phone and just sent me this photo of Thor. He loves phones and it looks like he's trying to reach out and grab hers. Anyway, this was a nice break from the grind of work.
I'm going to do a 5:15am mtb ride tomorrow. A night/sunrise mtb ride kicks the crap out of going to the gym and it's a great way to begin the day.
And waiting for me at home will be some double-espresso Gaggia goodness...mmmmmmmmmm.
I'm going to do a 5:15am mtb ride tomorrow. A night/sunrise mtb ride kicks the crap out of going to the gym and it's a great way to begin the day.
And waiting for me at home will be some double-espresso Gaggia goodness...mmmmmmmmmm.
Friday, March 10, 2006
The Library
This is pretty random...
We just moved and I'm noticing a lot of little things around the house.
Like, the reading material on the back of the crapper.
It's a weird mix:
- The Portable Thoreau
- Simon Burney's Cyclocross book
- Rick Steves' Best Destinations 2006 Newsletter
- Pico Iyer's Video Night in Kathmandu
What's your crapper reading material?
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