Solvang Double in the bag

I'm like a kid who knows he has to go to the dentist, but it's his birthday, and Christmas too. He's been called to the principal's office, and there's a bully lurking, but the girl he has a crush on just smiled at him. That was me the night before and morning of the Solvang Double Century.

Just getting all my junk together was a chore. I was so afraid I'd forget something I organized myself into disorganization. When we got to the motel I was sure I'd left my cycling clothes behind and started to panic. Tricia had brought them into the room and I was too wound up to see the big box they were in. It went on like that.

But shortly after 5 am I rolled out with my crew, with all the crap that makes a pretty bike look like a skid row trash pile: Lights, GPS, route sheet clipped on the cables, two water bottles and a huge ugly (but necessary) seat bag.
The morning ride out of Solvang in the dark was amazing. We looked like an endless trail of ants marching with candles in a religious procession as we wound our way through the hills.

I had a cold start, but used a tip I'd read somewhere. I wore an old sweatshirt I planned to abandon. It kept me warm even though my fingers froze. I dumped it at rest stop 2 and stopped looking like a total fred.

Here are a few of my disconnected memories of the ride

• The 3:30 AM call from my riding partner LanceOldStrong (Daniel) telling me he checked with the desk and that since I gave him a ride I was clear to park in the hotel lot, thereby saving me from obsessing over where to park.
• The amazing dawn as we rode through... I have no idea where we were, but it was amazing.
  
• Riding with "Big Georges." I was so beat I kept thinking I was with Big George Hincapie and maybe he'd give me some bike clothes.
• Almost missing a turn in the dark and thinking the change in road color was a cliff.
• The speed run pace line that ran at 22-24 for quite a while. I'm not used to that and it was a blast.
• Getting way too much info about LanceOldStrong's last check point break (ask him, or better yet, don't.)
• Riding behind LanceOldStrong after Pismo Beach for miles and miles at an amazing speed. That guy can crank.
• Being thrilled that the alleged 8-mile climb at the end was really only 2. What a deal.
• Telling Dan to "Light it up" with about 3 miles to go and watching him explode downhill.
• Seeing the cool poster Dan's kid's made him at the finish. Way sweet.
• Having MyLilPony sneak up behind me and rub my aching neck at the ride finish.

The best part might have been after the last rest stop. There was a climb, and we'd heard it was the big climb of the day. It was 2, 4 or 8 miles, depending on who I asked. It was steap, and over a really bad road. I was thinking it was going to get really old if it went on for 8 miles. But suddenly we were at the top. It was actually really short, and the summit that was marked on our cue sheet was really just a small rise near the finish.

Finishing stats via the Garmin and Assent:
Moving speed: 15.1 mph
Average speed with stops: 13.4 mph
Rolling time: 12:47
Total time out: 14:20
Climbing: 8020 feet
Pain: Monday, a tired neck and a tight right calf. Could be worse.

Elevation profile. Click map for large version

Map. Click map for really large version

Solvang "training" report and jerk encounter

Deborah and LanceOldStrong climb Morgan Territory Road

I've been negligent in reporting my recent rides, so I'll toss in three in this post.
What with the Solvang Double just two weeks away I've been concerned — not really worried — but concerned about the lack of major mileage I've put in this year. The big problem is that it's been wet most weekends. I do have my daily bike commute that I never miss, and that helps, but it isn't exactly long distance. Over the last three weekends I've at least put in some mileage, though not the kind that really gets one ready for 200.

Feb 28, 80 miles guided by LanceOldStrong and accompanied by the usual Bike Forums gang. The route included a good climb up Morgan Territory on the back of Diablo followed by a climb up Redwood Rd in the Berkeley Hills. It was the first good weather day in ages.

March 6 Tricia and I rode Morgan Territory for 50 miles. That gal can climb. It was a beautiful day until we hit the summit and dropped into the clouds and cold. That ride back toward Danville can be demoralizing. A slight invisible uphill with a headwind made us feel really weak for a bit. But eventually we got back to the sun, and a downhill and all was well again. And it's Spring again, so all is right with the world.

BlastRadius of Bike Forums was our Daylight Savings Time leader for the day

March 13 I rode with the Bike Forums gang from SF over the Golden Gate and out to Point Reyes Station for 75. The pace was leisurely, with frequent stops, but it was fun and 75 miles is 75 miles. The ride was to celebrate daylight savings time, and encourage Pete Taxi777 to ride with us. Daylight Savings Time worked out well, but Pete didn't make it. We were sad.

Jerk Report
While we were having lunch at Point Reyes Station we all leaned our bikes on a wall. A moment later another cyclist got his bike from the wall and in the process knocked over three of our bikes, including mine. When my bike fell it broke my water bottle cage. I pointed it out to him, and he just shrugged it off and walked away. Nice guy. My riding mates insist karma will get him.

Photo of Curtis by BlastRadius

Valentines Day on Diablo

It wasn't epic. Just a 35 mile ride up the South side of Mt. Diablo to the junction and back through Danville. But what a nice day! It's been wet and cloudy lately, and even raining. It's cut down our weekend miles dramatically. This was one of those California clear sky days that makes you happy to be alive. Valentines day with my sweetheart on the mountain — it just doesn't get much better.

As a side note, there is a move by an East County religious crank wing nut to change the name of Mt. Diablo to Mt. Regan. Amazingly it has been getting a little traction, and press coverage as well. The Board of Supervisors said "no" so hopefully that will end it. There is a Facebook group opposed, but has a Facebook group ever carried any weight in any issue?

Small thought hardly worth posting

The perception of distance
I often ride a 20-25 mile loop near my house. It doesn't feel that far, and I'm never far away from home. Yesterday I started at home and did a long ride in a less usual direction. At 25 miles I was thing "This is a long way." I had a similar experience driving to Northstar ski area. It's a long drive. When we got there I told my daughter "We just drove 180 miles. I've ridden my bike farther than this in a day." I'm not sure that she was impressed after I did the Davis Double, but our ski trip drive put 200 miles in a different perspective.

Photos
I took my camera on my 70 mile ride yesterday and didn't make one photo. I realized that it's because I wore full finger gloves. I need to take them off to fish my camera out of my jersey and use it. I like to shoot on the bike and the gloves make it impossible. I was also on a solo ride, so I didn't have Tricia to photograph.

Wet roads
I spent a lot of time on wet roads in the drizzle yesterday. I'm always amazed how much I dislike wet on my road bike, and how it doesn't bother me at all on when I'm commuting. Maybe it's that the commute is shorter, or that on the road bike I'm constantly thinking how much road gunk I'm sending into my finely-tuned drive train. Those skinny tires sure get exciting riding over wet metal grates too.

Chains and clothing
Is it just me, or have chains become a lot more expensive over the last two years?
And what about cycling clothes? A reasonable cycling jacket costs almost $200 new. If it wasn't for eBay, BonkTown and closeouts I'd be riding in sweatshirts jeans. I'd love to try some CapoForma bibs, but they are so out of my price range. I'm not even bring up Assos.

Cables
The Gore shifter cables I ordered came today. In theory (and product marketing) they a slicker than... something really slick. They will make my shifting so smooth the bike will shift when I just think of shifting. We'll see. Film at 11.
UPDATE: Doh! I clicked the wrong button and bought pricey brake cables instead of shifter cables.

Specialized Roubaix
I'm still looking for a great deal 2009 or 2010 Roubaix Expert. I want the white one with Ultegra and a triple in 52cm. You'd think one would show up on eBay or Craigslist, but I guess I have too specific requirements. I haven't seen one anywhere. The search continues.

The wind and rain

We've got some serious rain and wind this week in the SF Bay Area, but it doesn't stop Tricia from bike commuting. Wednesday is supposed to be the big day in the series of storms, and it sure is windy already. I'm glad she has lots of lights on her bike.


This video used to play. I have no idea what happened. I think it was a flash video linked from Facebook....

Almost New Years Day on Diablo

We missed our 1.1.10 ride to the summit of Mt. Diablo. We did manage to make it on the day after, so it still counts, right?

It was mighty foggy on the way up, but when we broke through the clouds it was like being on top of the world.

Even though there are bus loads of riders on the mountain, and many of them passing us at warp 9, I always feel like I've done something epic when I reach the summit. Maybe it's just that little kicker at the end, but merely making it to the top seems like a big deal, even though it's only about 13 miles from where we start. I guess it could be the 3770 feet of climbing...

2009 year end totals

7912 miles
For the record
Commuter bike starting odo: 5818, ending: 7815, total: 1997 commuter miles
Road bike starting odo: 8457, ending: 13791, total: 5334 roadie miles
Fixed gear bike 247 (normal ODO) 234 (garmin) 100 (est unrecorded commuting miles) 581 miles

Disclaimers:
I sometimes ride the commuter as a mountain bike, or on errands, so those miles are not strictly "going to work" miles.
I ride the fixed gear/single speed for fun, and commuting. The light I use interfeared with wireless odometer, so I guessed 100 miles unrecorded. I'm sure there were really more.

I'm a bit disappointed. Had I known I was so close to 8000 I could have made it by just adding a few a day, or taking one good ride. Of course, I find I'm also thinking "Perhaps I really did 180 unrecorded miles on the single speed." But that would be cheating, wouldn't it?

I want this... or this.

Specialized Roubaix Expert Triple 2009


Specialized Roubaix Expert Triple 2010

I know it isn't about the bike. I don't care. Bike lust has no rational component. So here, I publicly announce my bicycle desires. Ever since Tricia got her Ruby I have looked upon it with a greedy eye. It's light, it's pretty, and it seems to work really well. I have therefore determined that a Robaiux would work just fine for me.

Part of it is that, even though I like my Kestrel RT-700 a bunch, I am getting a might older. I'm starting to think a triple might be a good idea. I'm planning to attempt a few really long rides with a bunch of climbing and perhaps some really low gears will make it more likely that I finish.

The Specialized Roubaix Expert has an all-Ultegra drive train and seems like a reasonable level to shoot for. I'd take an 09 or 10, new or used. I'm picky about the color — black white or black gray, and I need a 52 cm version.

If you know of a great deal on this bike, new or used, please post a reply or email me!

Winter Solstice lights

Here on the west coast in California the 2009 Winter Solstice will occur at 9:47 a.m. on Monday, December 21, 2009. Even though that's the shortest day the sunrise will get later and later here until about Jan 7. The good news is that sunset is already getting later.

In any event, we are ready for Solstice with celebratory lights on the commuter bikes. Here's Tricia with hers.

Now famous in the USA too

Our Adventure Cycling 2010 tour catalog came in the mail. I knew they were using a couple of photos, but I didn't know exactly how. I was excited to see Tricia on the back cover, looking all tough and fine. The inside photo of me might not have the marketing appeal they were hoping for , but I'm still happy to have them use it.

Almost famous in Europe

I recently got email from the German "Endorphinum" magazine asking if they could use a photo they saw on my Flickr page. "Sure" I wrote back. It seems they actually did it! I'm on page 30 and 31 of the 9/12 issue (zipped PDF).

Velo Wonderland and Art Murmur

Velo Wonderland was a wonderful cycling event put on by EBBC at — of all places — the Uptown Body and Fender shop, that in addition to being a body shop is also a very nice art and preformance space. It was part of Oakland's Art Murmur first Friday art walk. I have no idea why it exists, or what it all means, but it is without doubt way cool. The Velo Wonderland part had handmade cycling clothes, bicycle arts and such, as well as indoor bike parking. The Art Murmur part included lots of open studio and gallery events complete with a blocked off street, wild projected videos, and all sorts of fun. We walked about and basked in the glow of creative people making fun stuff without boundaries. Coming from the distant burbs I was amazed to see so many bicycles. We kept thinking we must live in the wrong place.

Solvang Double signup

Yep. I've done it. I'm all signed up for this monster, the Solvang Double Century. I know it's early, but I'm hoping that signing up, and knowing I've got to be ready, will provide me with even more motivation. There's a rough of the route on Bikley. I've at least got months to decide the larger question: What jersey should I wear?

California Triple Crown 2010

I've envied my friend Ron's California Triple Crown jersey (awarded by the folks over at caltriplecrown.com) for a long time now. I want one, but apparently you have to actually ride the three double centuries in one year to get one.

I'm thinking about going for it in 2010. I guess I think posting the possibility may be a first step in making it a reality. I'm pretty much a non-athlete, and my biological clock it ticking loudly. If I'm going to ever do this stuff I better do it soon, as in next year.

I've done the Davis Double the last two years, which I'm proud of. Over 130 DNFed this year, so I'm not at complete bottom of the pack. Just close. I think if I focus maybe I can pull this off.

Here's what I'm looking at:
Solvang Double in March
Davis Double in May

After that I'm not sure. I don't want to drive to LA for the weekend, though there are rides that look do-able there. And I freely admit I'm trying to pick rides I might be able to actually finish. That leaves out the Devil Mountain Double, as well as many others.

So I'm thinking number 3 should be
Eastern Sierra (though this year the weather was brutal) in June
or
Bass Lake Power House, in October.
UPDATE 10.10.09:
I'm adding the possibility of Knoxville to the list. It seems like a lot of climbing, but you do get 19 hours to complete it. I do like that it's close to home. If the weather isn't a problem it sounds possible!

The questions at hand:
1: Good idea?
2. Right ride picks?
3: Any one else thinking doubles next year?
4. Any one else thinking Triple Crown?
5. Thoughts, snarky comments or cheap shots?

Kenitic Road Machine fluid trainer

Tricia had been talking about getting a trainer. I thought I'd get her one for Christmas and started researching them. I'd decieded on fluid rather than wind or magnetic, and the Kinetic got the the best reviews. It also appears to have earned the "least likely to leak" award.

Then I found an ad on Craigslist for this Road Machine at a reasonable price. Heck with waiting for Christmas. I bought it.

It set up easily, and we just finished installing Tricia's first road bike (her Trek 1500) on it.

I haven't tried it with my Kestrel yet. I don't know if I'll turn out to be much of an indoor cycling guy, but I'll give it a shot. Rumor has it that indoor riding can be good for short suffer-fests that result in increased strength on the road, so it may be worth it.

The geek in me is looking forward to trying out Coach Troy, Chris Carmichael and Graham Street DVDs.

Obsessive Compulsive Poseur

I know it's wrong, yet I couldn't stop myself. Let's be honest; I didn't even try to stop myself.

When I saw water bottles that matched my Kestrel RT700 I bought them. What color can you put on a copper-colored bike? Blue? Yellow? Green? Red? Nope. White is OK, but stands out too much. Black heats up the water, and is impossible to find anyway. Copper bottles are really the only option, so when I saw these I knew I would be buying them.

Polar has had orange bottles for a while, but they didn't really match. Then I saw these. They are just enough darker that they work.

Yes, I know they won't make me faster, or more cool. They won't make the water taste better. My old bottles were still functional. Still, I now have bottles that look better on my bike, and when I take a good long look at the crazy world I can't help but think it's a better place because I have copper-color water bottles on my copper-color bike.

Foxy's Fall Century

Foxy's Fall Century, put on by the Davis Bike Club, is a beautiful ride through Solano and Napa counties. Tricia and I joined a group form NorCal Bikeforums.net for the one hundred mile ride and had a ball.

The ride starts out meandering through the very very flat farmlands of California's Central Valley. Some find it dull, but I loved the early morning light and drafting behind Chris and Deborah's tandem.

After we'd ridden under the just-launched hot air balloons and past a large whimsical bicycle sculpture we finely got to some hills, though nothing too hard. We rode through the aromas of California laurel, sage and tar weed.

After lunch there's a bit of a climb near Lake Berryessa. It's called "The Wall," but mostly it's an optical illusion. It looked intimidatingly steep, but when we rode up it, it wasn't nearly as tough as it looked from a distance. From there it's a long, ever so slight downhill back to Davis. There's nothing like an invisible downhill and a drafting a tandem to make you feel really fast. A grand time was had by all. Here's a short Flickr slideshow. I had a reasonably good day with my point & shoot.

By the way, I'm very happy with the photo at the top of this story. I'm thinking of making a poster from it. Click it to see the large version.

Smack! New helmet time

I was actually looking forward to my first rain commute of the season. Despite dire warnings from the fear-mongering weather folks I started out with a wet but delightful tail wind, and was feeling pretty good in my rain clothes.

Then, riding through an area I ride every day, I caught my front wheel on a cement lip running parallel to my path. I'm guessing that because it was so wet, and it was the first rain of the season, the road was extra slippery. I didn't do a slow fall like in the movies, I just went boom. i smacked right into the pavement and whipped my head onto the ground.

As crashes go, it wasn't that bad. I got a bloody elbow, a big headache, and I'm sure I'll have impressive bruises. But nothing on the bike broke.

When I got to work I ordered a new helmet. I'm upgrading my Bell Sweep to a Bell Volt. The Sweep isn't cracked or anything, but I'm being a proper cyclist and replacing it anyway.

UPDATE: The Volt is here, and I like it even more than the Sweep! It has a nice adjustment for the back that let's me dial in the fit better than any helmet I've ever had.

Official: I am old

I am old. It's been coming for a while, but on this day it is official. I have a compact crankset. I have a gray goatee and wrinkles. But the thing that makes it official: I now have a Grateful Dead inspired jersey, like the ones that all those beer-belly riders have. I worry I am but one step away from a recumbent. Heck, I've seriously contemplated a triple, even though I know it's just a gateway drug toward becoming a 'bent rider. I know there is no reprieve from the steady tick of the clock and turn of the calendar page. But I hope I won't sink further.
If I start talking hybrid, recumbent, or breakfast cereal jersey please come and stop me.

WTF Cyclists?

Indeed, WTF cyclists?
I thought we were better than this. After all, we enjoy being outside, and I thought we all had some common understanding that trashing the environment is a bad thing. We rail enough about broken glass that we should be able to make the leap and realize that we shouldn't be contributing to road side garbage piles.

But I guess not.

I ride Empire Mine Road as part of my short local loop. It's a sweet road that's closed to automobiles that runs through some ranch land. Lots of cyclists use it, either as an out and back, or a back road between Antioch and Brentwood.

Last week I picked up two 700c inner tubes and two C02 cartridges. (I guess the mountain bikers are off the hook on this.) This week there were several gel packs at the top of the hill. Yech.

Just as a side note: If you need to stop at this little rise to power gel up, you are too much of a wimp and poseur to be out in the world on a bike without training wheels.

I don't think those litter-cyclists will read this because I don't think they know how to read. But if you see those jerk wads littering, feel free to stick a frame pump in their spokes, or snap a quick photo of them for me to post.

If, by some chance I'm writing about you, cut it out. Put that stuff in your pocket and stop being such a wiener.