Bike 2: 339.9; 17.7
18 miles seems like a "short" ride now... Even with what seems like a pretty strong headwind, if I keep pedaling consistently in high gear, I'm doing 16, even 18 mph. Leg muscles always hurt when I first start, but often like today get accustomed to pedaling and it gets easy.
A couple of other cyclists stopped with their bikes, apparently fixing this or that. Felt like maybe I should stop, but nobody seemed particularly distressed... And this isn't the Outback or anything--there are after all gas stations, liquor stores, delis within easy bike-pushing distance--hell, the bike shop is only five miles away...
Friday, September 12, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Goat's Heads
Bike 2: 322.2; 26.3
And by the way, that's 340 miles now on Bike 2 since I got it August 14--just past the 332 miles I'd covered on Bike 1 in the prior month.
Tire still full. Today I noticed all the star thistles blooming beside the trail, especially out near Willowside. Their thorns (called goat's heads, and I think perhaps occasionally used in the making of a soup) are like children's "jacks," and they scatter from the plant to lie in wait on the roads and trails, to embed themselves in bike tires and eventually break off and work their way through the tire to the tube, where they cause flats. I had so many problems at this time of year with my other bike, I got the Green Slime stuff AND a liner to combat them and STILL got flats from them now and then. So, that's probably the culprit of my recent tubular problems.
Anyway, happy to again pile on some miles. I do feel like maybe I'm ever-so-slightly slimmer around the midsection after all this, and feel kind of obsessive about keeping up the miles (even while trying to climb more hills, which usually means fewer miles in the same span of time). Today I felt sore and slow when starting out, so didn't push the speed too much, and eventually settled into a mindless rhythm--sometimes I completely zone out for long stretches, and don't remember covering those miles, after the fact.
Again, people with dogs off-leash pissing me off. I don't usually say anything, but today a woman was on her cell phone totally ignoring her dog, which as soon as it saw me coming started running as if to give chase. I yelled "Leash" after passing; doubt she even heard me. Sigh.
And by the way, that's 340 miles now on Bike 2 since I got it August 14--just past the 332 miles I'd covered on Bike 1 in the prior month.
Tire still full. Today I noticed all the star thistles blooming beside the trail, especially out near Willowside. Their thorns (called goat's heads, and I think perhaps occasionally used in the making of a soup) are like children's "jacks," and they scatter from the plant to lie in wait on the roads and trails, to embed themselves in bike tires and eventually break off and work their way through the tire to the tube, where they cause flats. I had so many problems at this time of year with my other bike, I got the Green Slime stuff AND a liner to combat them and STILL got flats from them now and then. So, that's probably the culprit of my recent tubular problems.
Anyway, happy to again pile on some miles. I do feel like maybe I'm ever-so-slightly slimmer around the midsection after all this, and feel kind of obsessive about keeping up the miles (even while trying to climb more hills, which usually means fewer miles in the same span of time). Today I felt sore and slow when starting out, so didn't push the speed too much, and eventually settled into a mindless rhythm--sometimes I completely zone out for long stretches, and don't remember covering those miles, after the fact.
Again, people with dogs off-leash pissing me off. I don't usually say anything, but today a woman was on her cell phone totally ignoring her dog, which as soon as it saw me coming started running as if to give chase. I yelled "Leash" after passing; doubt she even heard me. Sigh.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
31 Flat-Free Miles
Bike 2: 295.9; 31.3
Catching up with the miles on Bike 1 7/11 - 8/11, but I took a week off in the month 8/11 - 9/11.
No flat! I have some hope now that I fixed it right this time.
Nice to stop at the coffee cart at Andy's and read the West County Times, about halfway through the 31 miles.
Now need to get to work on Java courses. I like this a lot--it's a useful skill to have, being able to at least read and maybe even write a little Java code, so even if the job ends when we finish the Java stuff I'll have something new in my bag of tricks. Meanwhile, working at home at my own pace is absolutely wonderful. I've been able to participate, too, in some of the yard stuff, working toward my Junior Permaculture Cadet badge...
OK, to work then!
Catching up with the miles on Bike 1 7/11 - 8/11, but I took a week off in the month 8/11 - 9/11.
No flat! I have some hope now that I fixed it right this time.
Nice to stop at the coffee cart at Andy's and read the West County Times, about halfway through the 31 miles.
Now need to get to work on Java courses. I like this a lot--it's a useful skill to have, being able to at least read and maybe even write a little Java code, so even if the job ends when we finish the Java stuff I'll have something new in my bag of tricks. Meanwhile, working at home at my own pace is absolutely wonderful. I've been able to participate, too, in some of the yard stuff, working toward my Junior Permaculture Cadet badge...
OK, to work then!
Monday, September 08, 2008
(Insert Flatulence Joke Here)
Bike 2: 264.6; 27.0
But four miles of that was walking the bike with a flat rear tire (again).
I was just starting to feel proud of having replaced the tube with some degree of competence when, after 22 miles, I felt a sort of "bap!" like when you go off a curb, but I was just going over a small (maybe 1-inch) notch in the concrete. Seconds later, the tire was flat.
I attempted at one point to get some air into it, but of course I had not read or otherwise received detailed instrux on the hand pump I got with the bike and so was doing it wrong, and was entirely unable to get the pump to attach to the stem.
This, and the fact that I have not lost a single ounce of weight in now 600 miles of biking in 57 days... very discouraging. At least I have an extra tube now, and I have every reason to hope I will eventually get it right if I get enough practice from the multiple flats I am sure to have. I only hope I actually got the wheel itself back on the bike properly so THAT doesn't come flying off unexpectedly.
I get SUCH a sense of despair when I can't get a mechanical thing to work properly--and that seems to be every time I ever have to try to get a mechanical thing to work properly.
Anyway, walked four miles to bike shop, which happens to be on the way home, bought two tubes and got some guidance, and was able to ride the rest of the way home. I have NO confidence the same thing won't happen again, but hey, I got home, and I'll be a little better off next time, right?
But four miles of that was walking the bike with a flat rear tire (again).
I was just starting to feel proud of having replaced the tube with some degree of competence when, after 22 miles, I felt a sort of "bap!" like when you go off a curb, but I was just going over a small (maybe 1-inch) notch in the concrete. Seconds later, the tire was flat.
I attempted at one point to get some air into it, but of course I had not read or otherwise received detailed instrux on the hand pump I got with the bike and so was doing it wrong, and was entirely unable to get the pump to attach to the stem.
This, and the fact that I have not lost a single ounce of weight in now 600 miles of biking in 57 days... very discouraging. At least I have an extra tube now, and I have every reason to hope I will eventually get it right if I get enough practice from the multiple flats I am sure to have. I only hope I actually got the wheel itself back on the bike properly so THAT doesn't come flying off unexpectedly.
I get SUCH a sense of despair when I can't get a mechanical thing to work properly--and that seems to be every time I ever have to try to get a mechanical thing to work properly.
Anyway, walked four miles to bike shop, which happens to be on the way home, bought two tubes and got some guidance, and was able to ride the rest of the way home. I have NO confidence the same thing won't happen again, but hey, I got home, and I'll be a little better off next time, right?
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Sunday Drivers
Bike 2: 237.6; 18.6
It was a short ride, but included several hills, some quite steep and/or long, including: Daywalt Road; Blank Road from 116 to Peterson; Orchard Station Road from Roblar to top of hill; Hessel Road from Turner to Fairbanks (fire station); and Lone Pine from 116 to Bloomfield.
Got a flat tire, luckily within a mile of home. I walked the bike home, couldn't find obvious nails or thorns, and refilled the tire. It'll probably be flat again shortly, but just in case. Funny, I bought a spare tube, what? four days ago?
On 116 near town, a woman in a dark blue Mercedes crossed the line to get nearer to me I guess. Not really close, but let's say two feet. This is a case where I was entirely off the road, on a ten-foot-wide shoulder. Then, I saw her do the same to another cyclist ahead of me. WtF?!? Granted, cyclists can be annoying--I've been annoyed by them when driving in MY car, especially on a narrow but wide-enough road where they might be riding two abreast when we could all coexist and get on with our lives if they were single file--but I've never heard of a cyclist killing anyone with their vehicle, which is basically what this woman came quite close to doing, twice.
I've noticed a couple of things, though, while out riding on a more "road-oriented" bike, that I might share, and if anyone's reading this who is prone to getting pissed at cyclists...
The shoulder is not always as smooth, clear of debris, and safe for riding as the road proper. Especially at any speed over 20, and/or in alternating light and shade, two-wheelers can't always trust that there will be no nasty surprises on the shoulder. Among other things, that's where motorists toss their bottles and mislay a lot of vehicle parts.
The edge of the road is often much more bumpy than the center: Ruts tend to form on the right edge, from vehicle wheels, water runoff, whatever. It seems like 9 out of 10 potholes are on that right edge.
It looks wider from a car than from a bike: Handlebars are 12-18 inches wide--that's my functional width (NOT the 1.5" of my tire!). A two-foot-wide shoulder only gives me six inches of wobble room. Don't necessarily expect a cyclist to manage to keep within that range, especially going uphill where one does tend to go a bit more side-to-side from pulling/pushing to make it up the hill.
Momentum Is Currency: If I can manage to keep the momentum from a good downhill, I can often maintain some speed going up the next one. It can mean the difference between cruising over the next hill at 13-15mph in high gear vs. gearing way down and laboring up the hill at 5mph. At the bottom of a long hill, I will hit the brakes out of consideration and safety every time, but man am I grateful when you don't make me do that!
The Momentum Thing also comes into play at stop signs and traffic signals. Certain online-news commenters claim to find it unconscionable that cyclists don't always come to a full stop at intersections. I notice that most cars don't fully stop at stop signs--in fact I count on it when I'm on my bike. But the dynamic on a bicycle is very different: You can hear a lot better (assuming you're not one of those morons listening to an MP3 player or similar); you can usually see a lot better; and you're approaching the stop at a slower speed to begin, with so you have more time to evaluate the intersection as you approach. Coming to a full stop on a bike also means COMPLETE loss of momentum. For me, at least, it usually means I have to get off the seat and pedals, and start from zero again when ready to go, which requires a LOT more work than slowing down, even slowing to less than 1 mph.
A last thing (for now) to consider: I don't think any cyclist WANTS to be in your way. I'd rather be off the road entirely, on a bike path, but the bike paths are incomplete, and they don't always go where we need or want to go. When I travel the roads, I will often go miles out of my way to avoid shoulderless hills, badly potted pavement, blind curves. When I know a car is behind me, I try to pedal a little faster if it means I can get out of their way sooner. When a car purposely goes left into another lane to pass me, I am always grateful (though I don't usually wave because I doubt you're looking for that even if you could see it, and I'm usually in a place where it's best to keep both hands on the grips). But know that I AM grateful for every concession you make as a ped or driver, as I'm trying to work that space between the two. Thanks!
It was a short ride, but included several hills, some quite steep and/or long, including: Daywalt Road; Blank Road from 116 to Peterson; Orchard Station Road from Roblar to top of hill; Hessel Road from Turner to Fairbanks (fire station); and Lone Pine from 116 to Bloomfield.
Got a flat tire, luckily within a mile of home. I walked the bike home, couldn't find obvious nails or thorns, and refilled the tire. It'll probably be flat again shortly, but just in case. Funny, I bought a spare tube, what? four days ago?
On 116 near town, a woman in a dark blue Mercedes crossed the line to get nearer to me I guess. Not really close, but let's say two feet. This is a case where I was entirely off the road, on a ten-foot-wide shoulder. Then, I saw her do the same to another cyclist ahead of me. WtF?!? Granted, cyclists can be annoying--I've been annoyed by them when driving in MY car, especially on a narrow but wide-enough road where they might be riding two abreast when we could all coexist and get on with our lives if they were single file--but I've never heard of a cyclist killing anyone with their vehicle, which is basically what this woman came quite close to doing, twice.
I've noticed a couple of things, though, while out riding on a more "road-oriented" bike, that I might share, and if anyone's reading this who is prone to getting pissed at cyclists...
The shoulder is not always as smooth, clear of debris, and safe for riding as the road proper. Especially at any speed over 20, and/or in alternating light and shade, two-wheelers can't always trust that there will be no nasty surprises on the shoulder. Among other things, that's where motorists toss their bottles and mislay a lot of vehicle parts.
The edge of the road is often much more bumpy than the center: Ruts tend to form on the right edge, from vehicle wheels, water runoff, whatever. It seems like 9 out of 10 potholes are on that right edge.
It looks wider from a car than from a bike: Handlebars are 12-18 inches wide--that's my functional width (NOT the 1.5" of my tire!). A two-foot-wide shoulder only gives me six inches of wobble room. Don't necessarily expect a cyclist to manage to keep within that range, especially going uphill where one does tend to go a bit more side-to-side from pulling/pushing to make it up the hill.
Momentum Is Currency: If I can manage to keep the momentum from a good downhill, I can often maintain some speed going up the next one. It can mean the difference between cruising over the next hill at 13-15mph in high gear vs. gearing way down and laboring up the hill at 5mph. At the bottom of a long hill, I will hit the brakes out of consideration and safety every time, but man am I grateful when you don't make me do that!
The Momentum Thing also comes into play at stop signs and traffic signals. Certain online-news commenters claim to find it unconscionable that cyclists don't always come to a full stop at intersections. I notice that most cars don't fully stop at stop signs--in fact I count on it when I'm on my bike. But the dynamic on a bicycle is very different: You can hear a lot better (assuming you're not one of those morons listening to an MP3 player or similar); you can usually see a lot better; and you're approaching the stop at a slower speed to begin, with so you have more time to evaluate the intersection as you approach. Coming to a full stop on a bike also means COMPLETE loss of momentum. For me, at least, it usually means I have to get off the seat and pedals, and start from zero again when ready to go, which requires a LOT more work than slowing down, even slowing to less than 1 mph.
A last thing (for now) to consider: I don't think any cyclist WANTS to be in your way. I'd rather be off the road entirely, on a bike path, but the bike paths are incomplete, and they don't always go where we need or want to go. When I travel the roads, I will often go miles out of my way to avoid shoulderless hills, badly potted pavement, blind curves. When I know a car is behind me, I try to pedal a little faster if it means I can get out of their way sooner. When a car purposely goes left into another lane to pass me, I am always grateful (though I don't usually wave because I doubt you're looking for that even if you could see it, and I'm usually in a place where it's best to keep both hands on the grips). But know that I AM grateful for every concession you make as a ped or driver, as I'm trying to work that space between the two. Thanks!
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