Life in the Bike Lane

Top 10 Reasons to Support Your Local Bike Shop

2011-12-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

10. Classes

Many shops offer classes at night an on weekends. These classes can range from basic maintenance to entering your first race. The knowledge base at many shops can be extremely helpful and most are more than willing to share!

9. Lifetime adjustments
Many shops offer lifetime adjustments on the miles they sell. This can offset the possible initial higher cost of the bike over a "big box" retailer. Besides they have better bikes.

8. Local events
Many shops will sponsor local events. Usually you can find them offering simple repairs, tire inflation, special deals, and sometimes samples (I have lots of shop tire levers in my tool kit). I have even been given the occasional beer!

7. Free advice
Most of the shop guys & gals are cyclists themselves. The one thing we cyclists love to do is talk about cycling. Ask a question and you will get TONS of good information.

6. They support their community
The owners of most bike shops work, live, & play in their community. They usually want their community to thrive which will in turn help their shop. That doesn't mean that they are all selfish and only want more business, that happens to be a perk. With a thriving community, all businesses and residents win!

5. They're as passionate as you are
As I mentioned before, most shop owners & employees are cyclists and love to ride too. They love cycling and everything about it - just like you! Why not be with "your people"?

4. Local shop rides
Lots of shops sponsor local rides. These rides can be a lot of fun. Some of them have fees and others are free. Look for a shop sponsored ride near you!

3. Sponsorship
If you race, some shops will sponsor you. This can range from providing a kit (they get the advertising) to equipment, to paying your entry fees. You may be asked to perform id you get sponsored ie. make it on the podium.

2. You keep your dollars in your community
Shopping at your local shop keeps your dollars local. They typically aren't huge corporations, they are small businesses that depend on your dollars to survive. Sure their prices may be a little higher, but that's because they don't have the buying power that the huge national stores have. The service you get at your local shop cannot be measured monetarily.

1. These are your people.
Why wouldn't you want to support "like hearted" people? If you call one of the national shops to order something, chances are the person on the other end of the phone could care less. Your LBS does care and wants you to continue to ride.

By supporting your LBS, you are not only helping a small business grow, but you are helping our sport.

Cycling / Life Update

2011-12-16T06:28:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've written anything. It has been a whirlwind couple of months. I'll do my best to try to catch you up.

When we last left our hero, he was feeling his age on the bike. Since then, he has moved to Flagstaff, gotten a mountain bike (again), and fallen back in love with riding the trails. I told you; whirlwind.

Let's start with the move. There are 2 schools in the state of Arizona that use a teaching style that suits my son best. One is in Phoenix, the other in Flagstaff. They are Waldorf schools which, in a nutshell, focus on the child's brain development rather than test scores. We had been on waiting lists for both schools for the better part of the year (longer for the Phoenix school). We bout some property right next to some of our best friends over the summer in Flagstaff with the thought of building a home and eventually moving up. During the kids' fall break (mid October), the school in Flagstaff called with news of openings for both kids! This was certainly a sign that we needed to be at this school. So, in 2 short weeks, we packed up the house, rented a couple trucks, and headed north. The kids love their new school and have already made friends. In fact, Matthew's "girlfriend" as he calls her, is in his class and will be our neighbor once we build our home onthe our property. We got up to Flagstaff just in time for the first snow of the season too. I wasn't sure how this crew would do in the snow & cold, but they're handling it well! We are learning to dress in layers and have enjoyed the benefits of heated seats in the van (never really needed them before).

Anytime one moves, he discovers that he has a lot of unused "stuff". We were no different. Many yard sales were had and before the move, most of the big stuff was sold. However, there was still lots of "other stuff". Many moons ago, I took guitar lessons. Enjoyed trying to play along with my brother (who is pretty good) when we lived closer. I sold my electric guitar a few years ago as it was sitting in the the closet and not getting played. Hardly fair to the guitar. My acoustic has sat for years on it's stand in the corner ready to be played at any time. I think over the 7 years we lived in Gilbert, I played for maybe 2 hours total. Knowing that buying another bike was out of the question, I decided to trade the guitar for a mountain bike on Craigslist. I found a guy who was willing to trade trade straight up. The bike is decent. Needs some loving, but for not having to shell out any cash - perfect. I immediately swapped out the saddle. It had one of those HUGE seats that could fit a couple kids at once. After my first little ride, I need tobe change out the pedals to clipless ones, get a computer, some lights, and possibly a mud fender for the rear. Definitely need to get a tool bag for under the seat and change the chain. The bike was stored outside and the non-aluminum parts are starting to rust. Overall, the bike isn't bad. It's a GT mountain bike with Rock Shox on the front. I'm not used to suspension so it may take some getting used to.

The other day I decided to take the new MTB out on the trail. Flagstaff has an "urban trail" system (FUTS), which is scheduled to be 130 miles of trails around the area. These trails are either paved or hard aggregate and abour 10 feet wide. Like any good rural area, there are plenty of hiking/MTB trails that branch off of the main trail. So the number of places to ride the new MTB are limitless! Besides all the great trails, Flagstaff is a college town and cycling is a very common mode of transportation. Back to my ride. I ventured out to the FUTS right near our current house. It felt really good to ride on dirt again! The first part of the the trail I took was slightly downhill so I was cruising pretty good. It gave me a good opportunity to get a feel for the bike and how it handled. I found a nice little single track branch that had some good climbing. Luckily, the bike has a triple chain ring, because I needed the little gears. I got to the top of my first climb and was dying. My lungs were burning and it was everything I could do to catch my breath. I quickly realized "this is why athletes train at altitude". I only rode about 3 miles, but the terrain and altitude made it a great ride! I can't wait for my next ride to explore more of these awesome trails!

Internal Battle

2011-09-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Since it's the 19th of the month, I figured I'd go for a ride before work. The plan was to do 30 miles or so.
I started out with an empty tank as it was. No big deal, I can push through that. Done it before, can do it again! Legs weren't quite feeling it, but I told them to shut up and keep going. They quickly fell in line. My lungs, however, were a different story. They decided that we were going to not ride as far as the rest of the body & mind wanted.
At 6 miles or so they started to squeeze. Since my ride today (and in the future) are somewhat contingent on them working, and even though they were out numbered, they won the battle. We didn't do the 30ish miles that the brain had in mind (lol), but we squeezed out 12. Not too bad, but better than nothing I suppose.
That's not the end of the story though. The brain and legs decided that since the lungs were being wimpy, the should be punished. After every other corner, the legs decided to do some interval sprints. After the first few, the lungs were burning. We kept on riding and made it home without having to use emergency services! That'll teach them.
It was still a great way to start the day and the week! Thank you lungs for allowing the rest of me to finish the ride today and ride again another day.

Riding Like a Bus

2011-08-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

While on a ride recently, I was passed by a VW Bus (probably the only thing he passed that day). I got to thinking on just how similar the bus and I are. Here's a short list of how we're similar:

1-We both are "air cooled".

2-We both get passed by most traffic.

3-Neither one of us will win a race.

4-We both keep to the right on the road.

5-When loaded down with cargo, we go even slower.

6-The bus' engine is called a pancake, and my engine runs better on pancakes!

I'm sure there is more, but this is what came to mind. When I had my 1975 VW bus it wasn't very fast which is probably the biggest similarity. Hopefully from the back, we don't look similar!

I Made That Headwind My Bitch Today...

2011-06-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

...and other random thoughts.

It took me a couple miles to warm up this morning. Odd because it was 90 degrees out when I left. Once I warmed up, I was in the groove! Felt good to be out there today. The first thing that came to mind with the wind is that it's gonna suck for the firefighters up north if it's windy up there too. Please keep them in your thoughts.

Usually as I ride, I am thinking about one particular thing and working it out in my headf. Today, was a bunch of random stuff. Here's what went on in my head today:

...if you're going to cut me off when turning left in front of me, commit to it. Don't go, then slow, then go; just sack up and cut me off!

...feeling good that I saw a bee fly into my helmet and I was able to remove my helmet, free the bee and put the helmet back on without missing a pedal stroke.

...traffic around churches on a Sunday morning is crazy! (there were no less than 15 in the last 12 miles of my ride-at least that's when I started counting).

...I hate it when I see families riding and only the kids have helmets on. If a car plowed you guys, the kids will likely get to grow up without parents. Not worth the lack of "helmet hair".

...feeling kinda bad-ass from shifting into the big ring and throwing the chain and being able to get the chain back on while still rolling down the road!

...while the "vanilla gingerbread" GU is delicious, on a hot summer day, it just doesn't work.

...I need to start my rides earlier. It's damn hot!

...le Tour starts soon!

...I need to ride more...

...gonna jump in the pool when I get home to cool off.

...ahhhhhhh

Exc-USE-me JACKASS!

2011-05-24T10:10:00.000-07:00

That's the phrase shouted at me as I passed her.

Let me paint the picture. I went for a quick ride today along my favorite "quick route", a 5+ mile loop around my house. While heading north along the canal, I'm confronted with a farm tractor slowly making his way north in front of me (only in Gilbert). I quickly divert behind the Riparian Preserve which has a windy bike/pedestrian path. I don't like to ride back there because it's directly under the power lines. So I come around a corner and this lady is riding slowly on a beach cruiser to the right side of the path and her dog is on the left side with the leash extended between them. I give the "on your left" warning, but apparently it wasn't as loud as the headphones in her ears. Since I was moving at about 20mph, I had to choose quickly; slam the brakes or pass. I chose to pass on the left, off the concrete. Scarred the crap out of the dog and that's when I was greeted with this "greeting". Had I gotten a flat from riding in the dirt, I would have had ample time to discuss this with her, but I moved on.

I forgave her immediately for calling me this. I'm not one to hold a grudge on someone who doesn't know better.

So if you ride with your dog, or by yourself; please respect the rules of the road. Ride to the right, keep your dog close as not to block the whole path, and be aware of others around you. Oh yeah, you should also wear a helmet to protect yourself (something else she forgot). The only thing I can fault her for is the fact that she's riding a bike, can't be that bad of a person. Maybe just having an off day.

Keep it rubber side down.

A Good Bike Ride Soothes the Soul

2011-04-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

Life comes at you pretty fast. Lately, life has been coming faster than a Mercedes on the German Autobahn at me. It's been like taking a drink from a fire hose. First of all work has been crazy-busy and add in a couple trips out of town to make it even more fun. Second, my father-in-law passes away suddenly while we were in Southern California on vacation which turned our 3 day trip into a 2 week trip. Thirdly; upon my return from my last trip out of town which coincidentally was the 23rd anniversary of my dad's death, I learned that my mother has colon cancer. WTF? The universe is spiraling out of control! I decided that I needed a good bike ride to clear my head. I headed out with the intention of clearing my mind and getting back to "center". The goal was a quick 15 mile round trip to Sprouts, a local health food store that is only 3 miles away. I was taking the long way. I'm 6.7 miles into my ride and I hear BOOM. What the hell was that?!? Turns out I blew a tube. No biggie. I pull over into a church parking lot and get ready to replace the tube. Alas! No tube. Didn't I just buy a bunch last time they were on sale? No worries, I'll find the hole, patch it, be back on my way in 10 minutes. As i remove the tube, I find that the "boom" wasn't a puncture, but a "pinch flat". Pinch flat's are harder to patch because they are 2 small holes or sometimes slits that look like a snake bite. My pinch was 2 good sized slits. So naturally, the patch didn't hold. I did what anyone else would, called for back up. Luckily, I only live about 6.7 miles away and reinforcements arrived shortly. I hung my head and began my walk of shame back to the closest corner so my wife could come pick me up. As I rode, I came to a yellow light in traffic. When we drive and we approach a yellow light, what do most of us do? Gun it! Gotta get through. As a cyclist, we typically slow down because we have less of a chance to make that light and if some jack ass is chomping at the bit to go, we could get hit if we're a little late through the intersection. Not worth it. I've come to the realization that i need to look at life as a cyclist approaching a yellow light. SLOW DOWN. I have too much that i could be missing if I'm always working, or always out of town, or always distracted by work. So not worth it. From now on, I take it a little easier. Sure, I work a full week, but I won't be putting in a bunch of hours after the kids are in bed or on weekends. I need to enjoy my family. That's why I work, to provide for them. If I can't enjoy them in the process, why work at all? I have come to the realization that not EVERYTHING'S an emergency. Some shit will have to wait for tomorrow. I'm not going to bust my ass and miss out on seeing my kids grow up. I've recently taken on the role of co-leader of my son's cub scout den. That will strengthen our relationship (not that it's bad) and I'll be able to enjoy him even more than I already do. So next time you come to a yellow light or start feeling the stress of all you have to do; slow down, enjoy the moment with the one's around you. They'll thank you for it. About those tubes I thought I bought; I did buy them. They're right here on my desk where they shouldn't be. Lesson learned.

"Daddy, Why do I have Autism?"

2011-04-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 3rd was the first annual Hirning Family Ride for Autism Awareness. Matthew, Torrey & I headed out for a little bike ride to raise awareness for Autism. We didn't wear signs or blast propaganda. It was a simple bike ride with the kids. I did, however, invite all of my cycling friends from all over the country and world to ride wherever they live for Autism Awareness. I heard from some, others I did not, and that's OK.

My son asked me earlier that day, "Daddy, why do I have Autism?". As we rode, I pondered the question. The more I thought about it as I pedalled, the clearer the answer became. I still stick with the answer i gave him. "You were given Autism so that Mommy & I can learn more about it and help other people. We also have learned more about nutrition because of it and are healthier for it. Thanks to you, and your Autism, Mommy & I are better people". I can't even begin to count the number of people my wife has touched because of her knowledge of bio-medical treatment for Autism and GFCFSF nutritional information. There are TONS 9and those are just the ones she's told me about). I have been able to offer help as well. There was a lady at my daughter's dance class and we started talking nutritional stuff and I was there holding my own. She was listening and I was actually telling her things she didn't know (all because of my wife's knowledge). My wife is amazing. If you haven't yet, check out her blog here. If a dumb schmuck like me can learn from her, I know you can too.

I feel that we are given the "gifts" we have for a reason. My son, with his Autism was given to us to help others going through the same things. Maybe at first it was to teach us patience or compassion, but now it is to share what we've learned.

So what's your gift?

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

2011-02-19T07:29:00.000-08:00

So, our national sales meeting was last week in Las Vegas. Even though our schedule was jam-packed, I did my best to exercise when I could. This usually meant taking the stairs instead of the elevator (18 floors up to my room from the meetings). I walked instead of taking the bus back for one event and walked to dinner the first night. My calves are mad at me for taking the stairs so much. They're sore and achy. I took Thursday and Friday off from the stairs because they were really sore on those days. No pain, no gain.

The Good: Upon my return I hopped on the scale this morning and i was "only" up 4 pounds. Given the types of food that was served, and the sedentary days, this could have been much much worse. I'm please that the gain was only 4 pounds but would have liked it to be less of course. It shouldn't be too hard to get back to where I was pre-meeting. I will get back by walking the dog and eating the way I'm used to eating. No problem

The Bad: The food we ate, while tasty, was much heavier and served much later than my body is used to. For example, our last night's dinner and sales awards presentation started at 8:30. We had a small salad, steak ,potatoes, and creme brule. The dinner was tasty enough, just way too late for me. I like to eat earlier in the evening and get to bed by 10:00. Our awards banquet didn't end until 10:30. I'm just glad I don't eat like this all the time or I'd be a coronary event waiting to happen.

The Ugly: I typically like a good 7 or 8 hour night's worth of sleep and usually get close to that. I believe that the body needs rest in order to function properly during the day. I don't know if they were pumping pure oxygen into my room or what, but I slept like crap. I typically wouldn't fall asleep until 1:00am or later and would wake up around 4:00. This machine needs more than that amount of rest. The coffee helped, but on the last day, I was really feeling the lack of rest.

I'll bounce back. Back to the routine, back to walking, back to healthier food, back to normalcy. Most importantly, it's good to be back with my family.,

National Sales Meeting Week

2011-02-15T05:45:00.000-08:00

So I left yesterday for our national sales meeting here in Las Vegas. I was able to hit the bike at the gym hard to jump start my week (13 miles in 35 minutes averaging 22mph) and walked 1.2 miles to dinner. I had a chicken salad for dinner knowing that less health choices await me the rest of the week.
I hope to jog/run early in the mornings with a buddy but they have our schedule very full for this meeting. My personal feeling is that they want to keep us busy so those that are more inclined won't do anything stupid and get themselves in trouble. I'm not in that group. I have too much at stake and too much to lose if I act like an ass. Anyway, my plan was also to take the stairs as much as I can. This is no easy task it appears. The stairs down on the main levels are difficult to find and the stairways on the room levels are hundreds of yards down the hall. To make it worse, I'm on the 22nd floor! I will take the stairs at least once per day assuming I can find them. We'll see how I feel after my first 22 story climb. Who knows, I may take an extra trip up and down just for the workout. The "health club" here at the hotel is $25 for 2 days which I find ridiculous (I may try to sneak in though).

As promised, my starting weight for the week was 178.2 the day I left. It will be interesting to see if I can keep that number within sight.

UPDATE: Took the stairs tonight, 18 floors, it felt great! I think I will do a 30 minute session tomorrow morning to see how it goes (I may just have found my workout dilemma's answer).

Off the Program

2011-02-11T17:59:00.000-08:00

I'm not actively trying to lose weight, it is just happening. I am, however, eating healthy and exercising regularly. I am walking the dog almost every night and we usually do at least 3 miles a night. We will mix in a little jogging to boost up the intensity level. This has all resulted in dropping a few pounds.

Next week is or national sales meeting which will be very long days and probably very heavy food. Our days will officially start at 6:30 and dinners will usually end at 9:30 or 10. I will do my best to select the healthiest of the foods available, but I think those selections will be few. The part that really sucks (aside from being away from my family) will be the difficulty in finding exercise time. I planned on bringing my bike and riding in the mornings before we get started. With the early start and the logistics of getting my bike in and out of the hotel early in the morning and the idiot people driving around Las Vegas, it doesn't make sense. I am going to bring my resistance bands and try to do some exercising in the room. I am also going to take the stairs to my room whenever possible. Just for grins, I will try to post my weight on the day of departure and the morning after I get back.

It will be interesting to see if I can gain as little as possible. Right now, it's time to ride the stationary...

It Wasn't Broke, but I Fixed it Anyway

2011-02-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

I just installed my fixed gear cog on my bike today and gave it a test spin up and down the street. The install was super easy and now I have 2 bikes in 1! I can now go either single speed or fixed gear by simply flipping over my rear wheel. My initial thoughts after testing the FG:
1. "Wow, this is going to take some getting used to!"
2. "This is a blast!"
3. "It's not going to take much distance to get a good workout in!"
4. "I can't wait to ride this bike!"

The thing that first caught me off guard was when I subconciously tried to coast to make an adjustment. FAIL! You can't coast. It will take some getting used to with the mounting and dismounting so I don't fall on my face. I'm sure I will a few times, hopefully nobody will be watching. The second thing was the brakes. I didn't need them. I could slow down and even stop by slowing my pedal cadence adn then stop pedalling. Way cool. I could really feel it in my legs as I was testing this concept out.

I really think riding this bike is going to take my performance to another level when I get back on my regular road bike. I can't wait to ride this bike for a while and then switch back to the geared bike and see what differences there are.

My Next Jersey

2011-01-28T03:24:00.001-08:00

While training for the Cave Creek Bike Festival Ride the year before last, I raised money for Autism with a website called trainforautism.com. I raised over $1500 and rode 70 miles to do so. I blogged about it and had someone contact me and ask if I knew where to get an "Autism Awareness" type of cycling jersey. Well, I never received an email with the comment on my blog, but as I was going through it a few weeks ago, cleaning some things up, I found the question. I thought what a cool idea! I know just how to design one! A quick Internet search and bam! There it was. This jersey was from the Austin Autism Society Bike Ride in 2010. I've contacted the organizers and they will be doing a ride again this year (hopefully with the same jerseys). When the become available, I will be ordering one. Here's what I like about it:
1. It promotes Autism Awareness
2. It's colors are bright (promotes safety)
3. It's EXACTLY what i was thinking of as a design

In the interim, in case they don't do the same jersey, I have contacted a friend of mine who runs the Not One More foundation which helps injured cyclists. She has a cool jersey which is sold locally to help raise money for her foundation. I've contacted her to find out the company she uses to have her jerseys made.

Why Autism Awareness? My son was diagnosed when he was a little over 3 years old. He had little to no speech, lack of interest in peers, and a persistent fixation on inappropriate objects. With some serious dietary changes, supplementation, and support, under the guide of our DAN! doctor, he is now well on the road to recovery. I believe that diet, vaccines, and environmental factors all contribute to the rise in the numbers of Autistic children in this country. It is estimated that 1 in 110 children are diagnosed to day (1 in 91 boys) and the government statistics suggest the prevalence rate of autism is increasing 10-17 percent annually. This means that is it very likely that everyone will know or love somebody on the "spectrum". I do, and I want to help educate those who will listen to help their kid(s) have a fighting chance at recovery the way my son has. So if I can ride with this jersey on and make people ask themselves "what is Autism?" or ask me, mission accomplished. What has worked for my son may or may not work for your kiddo, but this is beatable. I worked an Autism trade show with my wife last spring for TACA and was amazed at the number of dads that came up to talk to me. These events are typically attended by the "warrior moms" who are fighting for their kids. It was awesome to be able to share our story and give these parents who just starting their journey hope that this can be overcome. It's not easy. It's a LOT of work.

But isn't anything that's really worth it a lot of work? I know my son is worth it. I bet your loved one is too.

Riding with Frank

2011-01-26T10:19:00.000-08:00

Last night (Tuesday) we visited some friends who were in from Indianapolis that we met while we were on our honeymoon. Turns out they got married on the same day and picked Young Island as their honeymoon destination as well. They're super cool people and we really enjoyed spending time with them both last night & 8 years ago. So the girls had both read a book in their respective "book clubs" about Wright's story and the subject of his Scottsdale home came up. They run tours through it and it's called Taliesin West. After hearing the story of his brutal life, I too was intrigued.

Anywhoo, in an effort to mentally and emotionally prepare for the rest of the week, I decided to take a little bike ride this morning. Some two wheeled meditation, we'll call it. I headed up the canal path closest to my house and decided that since the wind was blowing North to South, I'd continue further North than I normally would and take advantage of the tail wind. As I was about to turn North, my saddle shifted a little. Luckily, I always carry my multi-tool so after my turn, I found a place to readjust and tighten it. I'm sitting there on the little planter box working on my saddle when a guy pulls up heading out of the trailer park stops, rolls down his window, and asks "do you know where Frank Lloy Wright's house is?" How strange is that? Until last night, I didn't even know there was a Taliesin West. Something in the universe is telling me that I need to go see that house. I don't know why, but for it to come up twice in as many days...I guess I gotta go.

Useless ride stats:
Distance - 25.13 miles
Time- 1:28
Avg Speed- 17.1mph (damn wind)

The Single Life

2011-01-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I went for a little ride with the kids. They wanted to go behind our community (on the other side of the power lines) and see the horses, goats, and such. So we headed out on our bikes in search of livestock. Since the Diamondback has a flat and I'm too lazy to fix it, I grabbed the single speed. It's only fair; the kids are riding single speeds, so should I. I didn't have any "cycling gear" on except for my helmet so I wasn't clipped in or anything. My daughter decided that we should race to the end of the street. Now, I'm always up for a good sprint, so I took off.

I forgot just how much fun that bike is to ride! No need to worry about shifting, being in the wrong gear, or any of that. Just go. I need to ride this bike more. Heck, I need to just ride more. Experiencing riding around the neighborhood with my kids was definitely one of the highlights of my weekend. I hope it was for them too. I plan to keep this part of our "activity idea box" when we're looking for a fun activity. I want them to grow up and reminisce about how we used to ride our bikes around and how much fun it was.

Who knows maybe one of them will grow into a cyclist and enjoy the sport as much as their old man...

I'm a Sloth!

2011-01-21T20:01:00.001-08:00

Allow me to explain. I spend the better part of this work week at our corporate headquarters in New Haven Connecticut for some training. Some would call it reprogramming, we'll just stick with "training". When I have to travel, I tend to eat worse than I would at home. Typical evenings are spent eating later than I usually do (or at least closer to bed time) and the food is way heavier than I normally eat. For example; the night that the whole class went to dinner, we went to this very nice Italian restaurant and had the appetisers, drinks, and of course the heavy Italian meal. I was good. I didn't binge (that would make me a glutton), I had a grilled salmon and vegetable dinner. Of course the salmon and vegetables were smeared in butter. I normally would grill or broil my salmon with a light spray of olive oil and steam the veggies. Working really long days, and by working at these training sessions, it's sitting there listening, and being on a different time zone really messes with you. My routine is completely thrown off. I don't feel like walking tonight, riding this weekend, or anything physical. After this week, I absolutely should get out and move a little.

So, after this last trip, I'm feeling fat and lazy. Maybe I'm just tired. Maybe I just need to suck it up and get out there....

New Bike!

2011-01-17T13:38:00.001-08:00

Here she is, the new bike. You're probably thinking I've lost my mind. That isn't a picture of a bike but it's a sprocket, a gear, a cog, certainly not a bike. Hear me out. this part when out onto my rear hub will turn my singlr speed bike into a fixed gear bike. Essentially, I will have 2 bikes in one!

What's the difference? I'll break it down for you. A single speed bike is just as the name implies one gear. There are no deraileurs to get goofed up, no shifting cables to get loose, no upshifting when you want to go faster and no downshifting when the road gets too steep. You never have to worry if you're in the right gear at a stop light; you're always in the wrong gear! This type of bike is what most kids ride to start out. With the exception of reversing the pedals for brakes (a single speed coasts), they are very simliar.

A fixed gear is basically the same concept except you can't coast. That's the thing about it. Say "it's a fixed gear" and you usually get blank stares, say "it doesn't coast" and people understand. Sort of. Why would anyone chose to ride a bike that doesn't coast and that can't change gears? Well, why do you ride a bike instead of drive a car? Do you like the wind rippling over your legs as you spin the planet beneath you? Do you like the feeling of going faster and farther than you ever could alone by adding a bit of machinery to your life? Take all that bikeness, strip it down to it's essence and put it on the road. What you have is what I'm looking forward to riding. The bike is simple, about as simple as you can get. It doesn't coast. You don't coast as you start out and put your foot in the second pedal. No, you grab the pedal on the fly. The bike won't ever let you forget -- it doesn't coast. If you want to go fast, you pedal fast. To go slow, you pedal slow. When you stop, it stops.

I will be able to flip the back wheel over for those "organized rides" when you have to coast a bid for others' safety. Otherwise, I think I will keep it as a fixed gear. I can't wait to ride it!

Welcome to the Plateau!

2011-01-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

When I started riding with Team Bad-Ass last year, I was one of the "strong" riders. I would typically lead the pack or at least be up near the front. I slowly found myself slipping to the back of the pack, sometimes watching the team pull away from me. I used to think it was me trying to hang in while riding a mountain bike with slicks. Then I read an article from Bicycling magazine about hitting the plateau (something that most cyclists hit at some point). I thought, "holy crap, that's me". The author described almost exactly what happened to me with my team. It turns out that it wasn't the bike, it was ME, I figured as much but this article confirmed it. He then outlined a plan to get back into form and get stronger.

Part of his plan was taking some time off (and get "fat"), which I have already done.I'm going to modify that plan a little; I took the time off, but didn't get fat. i think I burned out. Riding the same course most of the time, failed to challenge me. This year, I will ride a wider variety of courses to challenge me and force me to either get stronger or die. This will include more hills. Phoenix is geographically a pancake, very flat. There are, however, some outlining areas that are hilly. That's where I will be. Sure, I will still take the quick 20 miler out the front door to spin some, but I will also add in some serious "training".

I am also going to cross train with walking and some light jogging (my orthopedic surgeon better not read this). There will be some strength training as well, not so much with weights, but resistance bands. I have obtained what I am calling my jump box which I need to start using more frequently (more to come on that later).

So, here's to a stronger, faster 2011.

A New Year, A New Set of Goals

2011-01-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

How did 2010 slip by me so fast? It seems like just yesterday, I rode to the top of Las Sendas mountain and proclaimed my mileage goal for the year. I didn't exactly shout it from the mountain top, but when I got back I wrote about it. Not nearly as poetic, I know. In fact, I think I did pretty good on my goals that I set out for the year. You'll have to ask my wife about #'s 2&3 but I feel that I did pretty good. For the work one, I feel I did well. To recap, here were my goals:

1. Ride 3600 miles by year's end

2. Be a better father to my kids (lengthen my fuse)

3. Be a better husband to my wife in general

4. Focus my energy at work on being more productive (work smarter, not harder)

Hmmm, 3 out of 4 isn't bad, right? Turns out my total mileage was only 1674 miles. Not even half of my goal that I set out for myself. How did that happen? I was kicking ass. My miles for the last 3 years were going up considerably until last year. 2008 - 2064 miles, 2009 - 3053 miles, last year - complete fizzzle (fo shizzle). I'm not going to sit here and make up a bunch of lame excuses. Yes, my hand issues continued, but so what? Maybe my goal wasn't realistic? Maybe life just got in the way? Yes, life did get busy, but isn't it always? Wasn't 2009 busy too? You bet!

Instead of complaining about not meeting my goal, I'm going to celebrate it. Hey, I did over 1600 miles! That's a whole lot better than sitting my fat ass on the couch and doing nothing! In 2010 I did manage to drop about 10 pounds and lower my cholesterol to under 200. I've been eating healthier and feeling better.

So for this year, I have a new list of goals. Here they are (in no particular order):
1. Continue to lengthen my fuse with my kids
2. Be an even better husband to my wife
3. Get our office in the top 5 agencies in the country (currently we're at the bottom)
3. Better my time in the Tour de Scottsdale (4:26 in 2010)
4. Compete in a sprint triathlon
5. Compete in 1 running event (Warrior Dash - already scheduled 4-30-11)
6. Better my 2008 mileage number (2064miles)
7. Try to help people understand Autism and share our story more
8. Get rid of some clutter
9. Improve my overall well being through meditation and relaxation
10. Expand our home garden to grow more of our own food.
11. Have fun!

I picked 11 for 2011 (clever huh?). I have started walking the dog most nights with a friend of mine, Mark which will help with my mileage goal and overall health. Yeah, we got a dog just after Thanksgiving. Starting off 2011, my weight is 281 and my cholesterol is 299 (this is more a reference for me to see how I do this year). I believe that all of these goals are attainable. I hope to blog more to share my journey with both of the people that read this.

Here's to a great year!

I don't want to go off on a rant here...

2010-10-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

but, I was riding back to the car shop to pick up the swagger wagon. Apparently, our swagger was low and needed a refill. Anyway, as I rode, I came across a group of about 10-12 people out for a ride. It was a mixture of adults and kids. There were kids on training wheels, kids in trailers, and the others on all types of bikes. It was cool to see a group out doing the sport I love. Then I realized everyone was wearing a helmet EXCEPT the adults.

As parents, we need to set an example for our kids. Everyone should wear a helmet while riding. What good is it if we are out riding and we fall (or get hit) and we are left incapacitated (or worse) and our kids are ok? I know we all want what's best for our kids, but being around to watch them grow up is also best for them. We need to be around to raise them (whether it's the right way or some other way). Sure a helmet might mess up your hair or not look cool, but how cool does a head wound from having an accident and not wearing one?
Ask anyone who's ever been in a serious bike accident and I'm sure they'll tell you they were glad to have a helmet on. I know I was!

I saw on Facebook this morning, one of the local newscasters riding a fat tire bike for the upcoming Tour de Fat and he wasn't wearing a helmet. Lots of people posted comments about what a cool bike it was and how they wanted one. I left a comment that it was a cool bike abd that he should set an example by wearing a helmet.

So, please, when you're out riding please wear a helmet. Be safe, especially on the roads. Cars don't look for us. Ride as if you're invisible - because you are. I help organize the ride of silence every year (a ride for fallen or injured cyclists) and I don't want to add any more names to the "fallen" list.

Ride safe.

Tour de Scottsdale

2010-10-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

Race starts at 7:00. I set my internal clock for 4:00 so we could eat something and roll out at 5:00. 1200 of my closest friends would be there to join me on this little ride. My body knows that I like to hit the snooze button, so it started at 1:00am, then at 2, then again at 3. I finally got up at 4.

I got out of bed and started getting everything together. Truth be told, I staged everything except my bike the night before. I filled my water bottles, had some coffee, made a batch of oatmeal, and I was set. I arrived in front of the Rosier's just before 5 and waited for the caravan to begin. We headed out at 5 and got to the starting area without incident.

The tour had us set up in "corrals" according to our estimated finish time. I suppose this was to let the faster riders be up front as not to run over the slower riders. I estimated my ride time to be 4 hours. Kate and Ron estimated 4-1/2. Geoff, Lance, and Jacob also gave a 4 hour time. Jake, Lance & I hung back to start with Kate & Ron while Geoff went to the forward corral. After some safety announcements and the salute to our country by Jimi Hendrix's version of the Star Spangled Banner, we were off.

The ride started out pretty slowly with everyone getting out of the chute, but once we were past that, we rolled pretty good. I was hanging with Jake at about 22mph as we passed some and were passed by others. As the riders thinned, Jake & I got in a group the was really rolling. We had a slight downhill and we were making good time. I decided it was my turn to pull and moved to the front (which felt really good). Once we turned and started North, the course took a slightly uphill direction. That's when the group pulled away from me. I was moving pretty good, I thought, they were just moving better.

I figured to make my 4 hour time, I had to average 17.5mph with this uphill, I was still hanging in there. Before I knew it, we were turning on to Cave Creek Road. I was surprised how quickly we got there. Of course this was still uphill. I was starting to slow a bit now. This part of Cave Creek Road was steeper than the hill we'd been climbing and I felt it. Since this hill was a little steeper, I decided to get out of the big chain ring. Ahhh, much better. Slower, but better. Before I knew it, we were turning to head south down Pima Road. I stopped quickly at the aid station to refill water bottles and grab a banana.

Pima Road from Cave Creek to Dynamite is slightly downhill (not as much as I've already climbed), with rolling hills. I was re-hydrated and recharged. I flew down Pima! At this point, since most of the groups had pulled away, I was on my own. I got behind a couple guys a few times, but mostly it was all me. Left turn on to Dynamite. I blazed through the intersection pulling away from the guy I was drafting. There was a photographer at the corner waiting. I hope that picture surfaces somewhere. Maybe on the TdS Facebook page.

Dynamite was the steepest climb so far. i downshifted to my middle chain ring for a bit and decided I needed to go lower. My front derailleur decided it didn't want to go. WTF? I tried again, nothing. Shit. I knew there was an even bigger climb ahead and without the "granny ring" it was going to suck. I just sucked it up and hammered. At the aid station at the top of this climb, I got off refilled my bottles, had a banana and checked out my bike for any obvious reason for this derailleur issue. I couldn't find anything. Anyway, it was time for the nice 9 mile downhill. There was a crash a little more than half way down and the ambulance had to come. I hope the guy I saw laying on the ground is OK. At the bottom of the hill, we started to make our way into fountain hills. Nice rolling hills. Due to pushing a higher gear, my legs were now cramping. It's only been 37 miles! I told my legs to "shut up" and keep going. They did, albeit, at a slower pace.
On the way out of fountain Hills, we turned West onto Shea Blvd. This road is about the same pitch as Dynamite as far as steepness. There's a slight bend in the road and then, BAM! We went from slightly steep to steep. Keeping in mind that I had no granny ring, I decided that I was going to have to power through. I made it to the top and enjoyed the downhill! Strangely enough, it's not as steep as "9 mile" hill, but I went faster somehow.

By this time, my legs were really hurting. As I coasted during the downhills, I massaged them as best I could. What the hell? I've only experienced cramping in my legs once before and that was climbing a steep hill on the single speed. I knew what was going on there. This was all new.

At the last aid station, Kate & Ron caught up to me. We chatted for a few seconds and decided to head back out. Only 8 miles to go. 8 miles uphill, that is. Who decided to put that in the route? I finished only a coupe minutes ahead of the Rosiers. My clock time was 4:26:15 and my chip time was 4:22:18 (it took that long to get through the chute). My actual riding time was 4:05:00. Out of 966 finishers, I was 732. Not the best results, but I finished. I enjoyed the experience and would do it again.

What did I learn? Probably my biggest lesson learned is that I need to ride more hills. Most of my training rides are pretty much flat. I ride starting out from my house and the east valley is pretty flat. I need to branch out a bit and ride more hills. I also didn't ride much in the month of September. That needs to change for the next race. As I write this, my butt is sore, my legs are tight, and I can't wait to get back on the bike.

Before I finish, I would like to thank the Scottsdale Police and MCSO for holding traffic for us so we can continue to roll. I would also like to thanks all the voluteers at the aid stations and finish line for all your work. The families and friends of riders along the route were awesome! Thanks you for shouting words of encouragement - they helped. And to the ride organizers, thank you for a well organized, fun ride. If you know anyone in the aforementioned categories, please thank them on my behalf.

Keep it rubber side down!

TdS Test Flight

2010-09-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

With the TdS (Tour de Scottsdale) race rapidly approaching, I figured I needed to run some tests with some of the additions to my bike.
I recently changed my saddle (seat) to one that is more conducive to longer rides. It's not one of those huge gel-filled thingies but it has a little more cush. I also put the behind-the-saddle bottles cages, well, behind the saddle. I don't want to run out of water on this ride, so this will enable me to carry 4 bottles. The saddle is fine, but I need to adjust the cages so they don't poke me in the butt for 70 miles.

I also wanted to test my body. I have barely ridden 50 miles this whole month and needed to see how the "chicken legs" will fare. Also, the excema on my hands seems to be refusing to go away and I needed to see how they would do. The legs did pretty good! As the ride went on, they started to feel really good before the asked the rest of me to quit. I will do some light stationary riding this week and lots of stretching to be ready. The hands did good too. One of the reasons for my lack of riding has been these stupid hands. For most of the month, they've been cracking, bleeding, and painful. I AM seeing a homeopath to clear this up, but the process is taking longer than my current patience level. I am riding in this race on Sunday whether my hands hurt or not.

Overall, I was happy with my ride today. Not as fast as I would have liked, but not as slow as I could have gone either.

Useless ride stats:
Distance: 22.63 miles
Time: 1:20:25
Max speed: 24.5mph
Avg speed: 16.8mph
No bodies found in the canal!

Bicycle! Bicycle! I Want to Ride my Bicycle!

2010-09-26T15:43:00.000-07:00

So I've got this 70(ish) mile race next weekend and I have hardly ridden this month. September has been a crazy month and my "training" has unfortunately taken a seat further back on the bus. I've only ridden a total of 45 miles for the entire month of September. Lousy.

This race next weekend isn't officially a "race", but it will be timed. I consider that a race. I won't end up on any podium, but I do plan to ride my ass off and post a respectable time. I figure 70 miles in less than 4 hours gives me a minimum average speed of 17.5mph. Of course that's what I plan on telling the event organizers for grouping purposes. I will be riding with team Bad-Ass for this ride. Everyone else on the team has been doing longer rides on the weekends and are in good riding shape. It should be interesting.

I hope to get in at least 25 miles one morning this week in preparation and then some easy stationary riding. I will be riding the new bike (yet to be named). Because of the warmer temperatures, I will add the "behind the saddle" water bottle cages. I refuse to be dehydrated! I'll be rolling with 4 bottles instead of the CamelBak. I'll bring enough nutrition to keep me going and be sure to eat plenty of breakfast as not to bonk.

I'm looking forward to this ride. My last organized ride was last November. Organized rides are a blast because so many people are all there to ride. The comraderie and energy is awesome! Occasionally, there's the complete moron that doesn't know how to ride in a group; but that can only sharpen one's skills (as long as no one crashes into or in front of me).

Should be fun...

Team Bad-Ass Rides Again!

2010-08-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning the Higley Groves chapter of Team Bad-Ass hit the road. Since Kate is training for the Ironman (the very definition of Bad-Ass), the training schedule called for a 90 minute ride. The start temperature for our ride was 80* and the wind was non-existent.

As I pulled up to the Rosier's, Ron mentioned that he was tired this morning. We headed out with sun to our backs and quickly the "tired guy" set a pace of 21mph. Personally, I think he was sandbagging. We kept this pace for most of the 1st half of the ride with the exception of hitting EVERY red light. As we traveled West on Elliott, it was as if a street sweeper had been there hours before! Smooth and debris free.

We headed north along the 101 frontage road and the right lane was blocked making the bike lane huge. This was alright!

We turned back into the sun to head back along Guadalupe. I should have known something was up when all the bike lane dudes had been ground off in the bike lane. Then came the "bike lane closed ahead sign. Turns out they were re-surfacing the street. The asphault was new, but not smooth. As I drafted Ron, I contiuously had to spit out asphault that was being kicked up by his back tire. Maybe I should back off I thought. I did. This rough asphault created much more rolling resistance. We were working to maintain our 17+mph pace.

After the rough road, I decided that it was time for a sprint. These sprints that I do on our rides are fairly short, maybe 20 seconds; but during those 20 seconds I go ALL OUT. Pedaling as fast as I can, I shoot past the team and actually hit 27.1mph! Unfortunately whatever gas was in the tank at the time was gone. I may have even sprinted on fumes. I was cooked. A little PowerBar goo and a bit of drafting, and I eventually recovered.

As we headed South down Recker, Kate took the lead again. In the sprint bars and hammering, she brought the pace back up to 21mph. I considered another sprint, but didn't think I had anything left after the first. Once we were 3/4mile from home, I went for it! Pedaling as hard as I could, I hit 28.9mph. I pretty much coasted home after that. Ready to start the work day.

The funniest thing I saw was an older lady walking a BIG german shepard (that's not the funny part). In her left hand, she held the leash and the little bag for poo. In her right, was the biggest can of mace I've ever seen. I swear it was about the size of a can of spray paint! The neighborhood where we were isn't by any means dangerous, I don't think. Besides, it was the morning time in broad daylight. You woould think if anyone was going to start trouble, they'd think twice with this big dog. When I saw this, I actually laughed out loud a little.

Useless ride stats:
25.71miles total
28.9mph max (me)
17.7mph avg
1:27:29 time
80*start temp/85*end temp
All in all, an awesome ride!

Team OMWP Rides Again!

2010-07-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hello,

How about that ride in? I guess that’s why they call it Gilbert (hahaha).

You guys may not know this, but I consider myself…a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one man wolf pack. But when my wife suggested I ride with Kate & Ron, I knew they were one of my own. And my wolf pack, it grew by two. So were three…so there were three of us in the pack. I…I was alone first in the pack, and then Kate & Ron joined in later.

Apparently Team Bad-Ass decided to ride a century in Flagstaff this weekend. That's 100 miles, at altitude (5500-7000'), with not so great weather this weekend. So this weekend, the One Man Wolf Pack rides again! In the spirit of today's TDF stage, I decided to do a "time trial" of sorts. That is, a race against the clock. I'm not riding a time trail bike (I wish I had one), just the single speed. Time trials are typically shorter and the riders maintain a higher speed for longer periods of time. In fact; in order to do well in an Individual Time Trial (ITT), a cyclist must:
-maintain a steady power output for long periods.
-maintain a controlled heart rate for long periods.
-have a smooth, regular pedalling technique.
-position him or herself to be extremely aerodynamic.
-discipline him or herself to operate just below the anaerobic threshold until near the end of the course.
II have no aerodynamic helmet on, my jersey was open and flapping, and I'm not the smallest guy on a bike. I just decided to ride all out!

My route was a "short" 24 miles and I planned to ride as fast as I could. The first half of the ride was slightly uphill, but not a big deal. When I came downstairs this morning, my son was already up; sitting on the couch reading a book. This delayed my departure. Instead of rollin out at 0600, I rolled out at 0800ish afer everyone was up. Not a biggie except it was considerably warmer.

I headed east along the same rout that I rode last week. This time, the urine & poo smells were gone as well as Monsanto's finest. As planned, I hammered the pedals. Legs were feeling great, water was still cold, light traffic, just warm. Once I finally started climbing slightly, it really warmed up. I could feel the sun beating down on me when I stopped at lights. The best thing to do was keep moving. I stopped at mile 11.5 for a cool down and PowerBar. After that brief respite, I headed up the rest of the way to McKellips Road which turned out to only be about 1/2 mile. I crossed McKellips and turned around once the roads were free of trucks pulling boats.

After turning around, I realized that I really was climbing because I flew back from where I came. The climb isn't steep at all; barely noticable in fact, but once I was heading South, it was "go" time. I decided to do some interval sprints during this "downhill" and hit some decent speeds for not having gears. My max speed was 27.1mph. That might not sound like much, but for the lack of steepness of this road, it was cool to see. While heading back South, the wind was starting to blow from the East. I thought, cool I have to turn East soon. As luck would have it, the wind shifted. Now it was coming from the West (the direction I was heading). Oh well.

I made it home without incident or even a close call. Hopefully team One Man Wolf Pack can ride again with team Bad-Ass soon. They're a great group to ride with and help me be a better rider.

Keep it rubber side down!

An Open Letter to My Son

2010-07-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Most parents are proud of their kids. To say that I'm insanely proud of my son would be a gross understatement.

Last night, I watched some old video footage of you and it reminded me how far you've come and how hard you've worked to get here. I was reminded of how little eye contact you made and what little language you had only a few short years ago. I remembered the day when the public school system labeled you "severely Autistic". I remembered the Tupperware lid spinning and the "pink milk" you carried around. That was then.

Now, I look at you with a swelling pride that only a father that knows how far you've come can feel. Last night, before bed, you were SO excited to be starting school today. This morning, you came downstairs and exclaimed "first day of school today!" with the biggest smile. Then we had the conversation about whether Andy (Schleck) would get back the "yellow shirt" [le Tour de France]. Just 3 years ago I wondered if we'd even be able to have conversations, now listen to the ones we have. The questions you ask are amazing! Your silliness warms my heart!You have worked so hard with your therapists in the past few years. I know they push you beyond your comfort zone and you may not like it; but you do the work. Look at how all that has payed off. You take your slurry of supplements without (much) protest. You are certainly a trooper and I'm proud of you!

Today you start first grade. Wow. Where has the time gone? I never imagined that you'd be in a top rated charter school among "neuro-typical" peers hanging right in there with them. You probably have to work a little harder than your classmates to get the job done, but you do it. Today, at your first day of school, you lined up with your class and gave us a "bye guys". You were ready to go! No hesitation whatsoever. I think you have a great teacher this year who will encourage you and help you grow as well. You will be challenged at times, but you can do it. You've proven that in the past. I can't wait to hear about your first day today. All the new things and new friends, I just may be as excited as you.

I know that sometimes I get frustrated, but do know that I am proud of all your accomplishments; both big & small. I look forward to all of the great challenges and experiences we will have together. I love you, Matthew.

Love,
Dad

You Don't have to be Crazy...I'll Teach You

2010-07-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I decided I was going to go for a little bike ride on Sunday morning. It has been a long time since I've ridden (see previous post - "Endless Bonk"). I din't want to start out behind the 8 ball so I ate something. See I do learn from my mistakes. The plan was to ride up to the top of Usery Pass the "easy" way (up to 2200 feet at 3% grade) on the single speed. Only about 1000 feet of climbing and not too steep. This hill has kicked my butt before, but I was going to kick it's.

I started out and at mile 3, my legs started to ache as if asking, "seriously? You're going to do this to us?". I told them yes, this was happening and they'd have to suck it up. A little self massage (while pedalling) and I was good to go. I continued on past the dairy farms as fast as I could. The weather was warm & muggy. A nice thick cloud cover held in the warm smell of cow urine & poo. I've riden past and smelled the poo before, but never the strong smell of urine. What an overwhelming stench! Finally past the farms, I gradually start climbing. I was actually feeling pretty good and enjoying the views. It was 89 degrees when I started out and, as I stated before, muggy. It actually started sprinkling a little as I rode, but not enough to cool off. I stopped a part of the way off to take a picture of the Phoenix sign, dump some water on my head and get rid of some extra water I was carrying. After my bio-break, I headed back up the hill.
"I'm almost to the top" I realized. That was enough to give me the extra energy I needed. I made it! No down shifting, no walking, just hammering.

I turned around and headed back from whence I came. I turned west on McDowell and planned to go to Lindsay Road, head south and then home. That was the plan. As I approached the stop sign at Hawes/N. 84th street, I contemplated. Do I go up to Las Sendas, or go straight? "Eff it, it's go time"! I headed North. The climb isn't very long, but it's steep. 6% grade steep. Keep in mind, I'm on the single speed; no downshifting. As I climbed, I felt pretty good. I told myself to stay in the saddle until the first round about; and I did. After that, I was up, pulling my bike side to side to help with the pedal strokes. My left quad started to cramp. Aw hell no. I pushed through and made that climb too! I paused briefly at the top to look down at what I'd accomplished. Not bad for an old guy on a single speed. I headed down the hill and enjoyed the wind blow drying me.

I headed West on McDowell towards my original route. I turned south down Recker instead of the extra 4 miles to Lindsay. Recker has less traffic and it was already in the high 90's. I actually stopped at a Cricle K to refill my water bottles as I had just drained the last one. "Shoulda brought the CamelBak". Refueled and rehydrated, I continued home.

When I got home my bike computer read 104 degrees. Toasty! It was a good 35 mile ride. I averaged 15.9mph and topped out at just over 30mph.

I learned a few things along the way too. 1. When you ride by yourself, it's harder to be dropped by the pack. 2. The little "honey straws" from Sprouts are a good source of quick energy, but unless you have piranha teeth, they're hard to open. 3. My last ride, when I was dropped like third period french, was a fluke. I wasn't preparred then. I know next time I will be.

Was I crazy to ride in that kind of heat? Maybe. Was I crazy to try those clims on the "SS"? Probably. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!

Stay safe out there!

The Endless Bonk!

2010-06-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long time since I've written anything here (not that anyone reads this). Life has gotten busy. Bottom line: I haven't been riding much.

I did ride with Team Bad-Ass last Saturday. It had been literally months since logging any serious mileage. I've ridden the stationary bike a little and rode a short Bike4Life event a friend from the City of Mesa organized. I also rode in the Ride of Silence which i co-organized (more to come on that later) Other than that, nothing.

The goal for last Saturday's ride was 50 miles with a decent amount of climbing (Usery Pass loop with a trip to Saguaro Lake) . I love the workout that the hills provide. It feels like you lungs are going to burst and your legs are on fire - awesome! Needless to say, I was pumped to be back with the group. The night before, I had all my gear in the car, the rack on the back, CamelBak full in the fridge. Ready.

The next morning, I'm up early (the ride leaves at 0600). Got some coffee & a banana and headed to the starting point. We roll out and I'm feeling great! Everyone is on road bikes, except me, on the MTB. My MTB has big tires. Probably triple the size of the road bikes'. I was too lazy to throw the slicks on and figured I'd be fine. I'm hanging with the group and we're cruising 17+mph. I even passed some of them on the down hill (hit 42.3mph)! At the bottom of the hill, it flattens out for a bit then we start a slight climb. No problem, right? WRONG! I absolutely died. I was spent. Only 5 miles in, and the tank was empty. No energy left. In cycling this is referred to as the "bonk". In running, it's "hitting the wall". I had another 45 miles to go with a big hill in the way. I'm screwed.

I managed to eat a PowerBar gel and get a little energy back. The road all the way out to Saguaro Lake was going to be a long one. The team flew by me. I'm one of the strong riders in this group; at least i used to be. They kept pulling away and pulling away putting more and more open road between us. At this point I realized that I put the "Ass" in "Team Bad-Ass". Everyone was kind enough to wait for me at the four corners stop sign (probably had phone calls to make, emails to return...). I pulled up, thanked them for waiting and told them they didn't have to.

We take off again , and I'm behind Kid Rocket (see earlier posts), I'm going to try to hang with him. That lasted about as long as a pot of coffee at an AA meeting. Next thing I know, Kate, who touts herself as "marginal" and "the girl rider" blasts past me in the aero bars leaving me to my familiar position; back of the pack.

I got to the parking lot of the Salt River tubing area just in time to see the rest of the team climbing up to the lake entrance. I figured "aw hell no". I pulled into the lot, sat and had a Power Bar, and waved off about a billion gnats wanting to feed on the sweat that was pouring out from under my helmet. Feeling a little more human, I decided to head up to the lake entrance. No sooner did I start up the hill, than the team came flying down towards me with Kate (still in the aero bars) leading the way. I decide to turn around and try to catch them.

I was feeling better now. The road from the lot back to the four corners stop was rolling hills which I was able to handle well. At least I handled them better than the way out. I made it to the four corners ready to tackle Usery aka "King Kong" (not my name for the hill another groups'). As I started up the hill, I was feeling pretty good. The hill is only 3 or so miles long and not too steep. I can usually do it in the big chain ring. After about a mile into the climb, I had to go to the middle ring; I was dying. At times I wished I did die, that way I wouldn't have to keep climbing this damn hill. Then I did the unthinkable, I stopped. I was so out of breathe, I couldn't go on. After a few minutes, I started back up the hill, this damned hill. There's no way I was going to let this stupid hill beat me. Down shift. Granny ring (smallest chain ring). No! This hill won't beat me. "Keep going. Keep going", I told myself. Then, I stopped again. This time for a few more minutes than the first time. Before My first "pause", I could see Ron & Kate ahead of me. Now, I couldn't. After what felt like an eternity straddling my bike on the side of the road, I continued. I made it to the top! Once I started down the hill, I was rolling pretty good. Unfortunately, coming down this side is much less steep than the climb. I averaged about 23mph all the way to the turn around/starting point. As I pulled into the parking lot, my left quad cramped up enough for me to take notice. I met the group back at the cars and proclaimed that i was wiped. I threw in the towel.

It turns out that you can't take a significant time out of the saddle and expect to ride like you did before the break. I also realized that my morning "nutrition" sucked which also contributed to my bonk. Typically, I eat a better breakfast before riding (and I will going forward). I have learned a valuable lesson.

On a happier note, I am proud of Team Bad-Ass. They have really stepped up the cycling. Kate in particular. She was on fire! I have seen marked improvement in her cycling. Ron too, he was cranking right along and keeping pace with Kate (something I couldn't do). I have a list to help me improve:
1. Ride more
2. Get a road bike (with gears)
3. Ride more

I have listed my mountain bike on Craigslist (sniff, sniff) and hope to apply the funds I get towards a new road bike.

I suppose when I say "I rode with Team Bad-Ass", it's a bit of an overstatement. Yes, I rode on the same day, on the same route, but certainly not with. It would be generous to even say that I chased them. It wasn't much of a chase. I'm looking forward to building back up the cardio so I can once again hang.

In a Bit of a Slump

2010-02-13T07:16:00.000-08:00

Ever since my hand rash flare-up, it seem's I've been in a bit of a cycling slump. My back tire is flat and i haven't taken the time to even fix it. Sure, I have the tube, just not the drive to fix it. I don't know why, maybe I just need a break. I've ridden the stationary bike a little, but no serious mileage (only 108 miles this month).

Work has been crazy lately. Maybe I'm working too hard and it's taking away from my desire to ride. Maybe I'm getting lazy. I've got a bit of a head cold which may be keeping me down.

In any case, i need to snap out of it. I'm heading to the gym today with the fam and going to ride there. I'll get to at least 120mi for the month, maybe-hopefully more.

I am planning to do the Ride for the Children at the end of April which is a metric century (65mi). I need to get moving.

UPDATE: The boy didn't wake up until late so the gym is out. The childcare area closes at noon (lame!). My sweetie & I have a Thai yoga/massage class today and maybe that will count for something, if not the bonding experience. We're now shooting for the gym on Monday since I'm off & the kids are out of school. Just gonna have to ride that much harder.

Off the Bike for a Bit

2010-01-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

My holistic healthcare practitioner advised me to take a break from riding for a while. I have really bad excema on my hands which really sucks. My hands are cracking, flaking , and bleeding which makes it difficult to hold on to handlebars (let alone function daily). Everytime I ride, I put lotion on and just deal with it. My hands kill everytime I ride, but I love to ride so much, I just deal with it. See picture below.

I have tried all sorts of medication creams which seem to work for a bit, but my excema adapts and persists. Last night, it was decided that I "take it easy" and try hydrocortizone cream nand wrap my hands in gauze. I also took the homeopathic arnica and arsenic "pellets". This morning, my hands are not cracked, bleeding, and they don't hurt! Today, I have been "re-gooped", wrapped in gauze, and am sporting the brown cotton gloves. I am at least able to do a few things around here like get things for the kids and make coffee; oh yeah and type.

Unfortunately, I can't ride for a while until I get this damn excema under control. I will give the stationary a break for a while just to keep with the "take it easy" directions I've been given. This will put me off pace for my yearly goal, but I'll make it up.

My holistic healthcare provider is awesome (she's also a great wife, mother, & friend)! I have visited the dermatologist and given countless prescriptions. By slathering my hands with hydrocortizone and wrapping them, I'm hopeful that I will get rid of this and be able to use my hands.

1st Ride of the Year

2010-01-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I headed out for a little ride on my favorite new route (map). This route takes me through some of the “best” parts that Mesa, AZ has to offer. From run down trailer parks to huge mansions, they’re all there. What I like most about this rout is that the 1st half is a gradual uphill with a decent short climb at the end to the top (almost) of Las Sendas mountain. I did go around the gate and climb as high as I could to check out the view. Not bad.

I had a PowerBar gel at the beginning of the long ascent which seemed to give me the energy I needed to make it all the way up. There was no wind to speak of until the steep part of the climb, of course. At least it was a cross wind. This will work to my advantage on my way back, I figured. After a short break to take a picture at the top, I headed down. The wind was to my back and I was flying! The wind was coming out of the Northeast and I was heading southwest. Perfect.

After I got home I checked my bike computer and my average speed was just over 20mph! Keeping in mind that the 1st 15 or so miles is uphill, I was stoked.

With my goal of 3600 miles for the year, I have to ride 10 miles a day on average. I happy to report that after 3 days, I’m ahead of my goal. I hope the rest of my rides go as well as this one did. The weather was in the low 70’s and the sun was out. Absolutely perfect weather for riding.

A New Year, A New Goal

2010-01-01T10:19:00.001-08:00

Last year, my cycling goal was to ride 3000 miles. I achieved my goal in mid December and tacked on a few extra miles for good measure. With a new year comes new goals. I don't really believe in resolutions as much as I do setting goals for the new year. Here are mine (in no particular order):

1-Ride 3600 miles by year's end
2-Be a better father to my kids (lengthen my fuse)
3-Be a better husband to my wife in general
4-Focus my energy at work on being more productive (work smarter, not harder)

For numbers 2 & 3, I don't think I'm a bad husband or father, but there is always room for improvement. Pretty simple on paper/screen, but I heard once that if you don't write down your goals, you have a harder time achieving them. So there you have it. I wrote 'em down. Let's see how I do.....

What St. Nikolaus Left for Me

2009-12-06T21:48:00.000-08:00

In Germany, the holiday tradition of St. Nikolaus is where children out a shoe on December 5th and if they were good would receive a treat from St. Nikolaus. Often times the treat would be small (had to fit in a kids shoe afterall); but if you were not so good, you would recieve switches. These switches were a signal that St. Nikolaus knew you weren't being good. For me it was a signal to get my acttogether before Santa found out.

This past week, I planned a ride for sometime this weekend. It had been a while and I really needed to get back in the saddle. It was decided that Sunday morning would the best time to go. Terri got to do some things on Saturday so Sunday worked out better.

It has been cold in the mornings lately and I knew that riding this morning would be no different. I planned to wear the long sleeve jersey, full finger gloves, my vest, and ear covering headband. No problem. What i hadn't planned for was last night's rain. Well, either it rained last night or some jerk wet all the roads that I rode this morning. I think it rained. It didn't rain on me while I rode; at least not from the sky. The spray from my tires was enough to seem like it was raining from below. My back had a very nice "skunk stripe" from the dirty water coming off my rear wheel. It was 43 degrees when I left and I was plenty warm in the gear I had on...Until I really started going. The spray from the road was heavy at times and in 43 degress moving at 20mph...You can do the math for the wind chill. Overall it was a good ride today. Only about 30miles in 1:40:06. I averaged 17.5mph and didn't have any incidents.

One new thing for my ride is an application I found for my phone. It's called "BiMActive" and it's free. What it does is use the GPS in my phone to calculate my ride info. It was accurate within 1 mile or so to my bike computer and the speed was a little off. What is cool about it is that it syncs up to a website and one can track all their training there. I will rely on my bike computer for cycling; but if I'm going for a walk with the kids or riding scooters with them, it would be cool to know how far we've gone.

I'm really likeing the route I did today too. I rode all the way up Lindsay to McDowell and over to Power back to the house. Lindsay is probably my favoride North/South road in the east valley. The traffic is light, the road is smooth, and the bike lane is frre of debris. What more could you ask for?

So back to St. Nikolaus, what he left in my shoe this morning was a lot of cold & wet. When I got home. I couldn'r feel my toes. I thought to myself as cars were next to me at traffic lights and the driver sipped coffee. "Yeah, but this is fun"!

Cave Creek Bike Festival

2009-11-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

Back on November 15th, I participated in the 1st annual Cave creek Bicycle Festival. This event included a 20 mile MTB race, a 50 mile & 35 mile "discovery" ride. I chose the 50 mile ride. I'm working up to riding a century and figured this would be good training. Besides, It has been many years since doing any organized event.

I awoke on the 15th early not because I was so excited about the ride, but because I slept like crap that night. Every couple hours I woke up (after getting to bed late). Anywhoo, I staged all my gear by the front door so I'll I'd need to grab was my water and coffee. The ride started at 8 and it's an easy hour north of here so I headed out at 0515. I arrived in Cave Creek in the dark and searched for the "tell tale" start/finish line. Once I found where the event was, I parked across from a VFW post. At the VFW, an American flag was blowing in in the wind. I couldn't help but notice, it was almost sticking straight out. Not only was it windy, it was a COLD wind. My car read about 52 degrees. I figured that this wind would probably factor into my ride. I walked over to the Flat Tire Bike Shop and signed in. I got my "swag bag" and headed back to the car. I looked through the various "goodies" in the bag and studied the route map. Looks like a lot of hills I thought. Now, when I checked the route at home t didn't look that hilly. It certainly did today. In fact the 1st 9 miles will be uphill.

As the start time got closer, I decided to get ready. I decided against my jacket since it traps so much heat and sweat and went with the vest which keeps my torso warm. The vest proved to be useful last cold ride and I figured it would get warmer today. I also wore my headband that covers my ears. Last cold ride, my ears froze. I wasn't going to let that happen today. I found the (unmarked) start line and stood in the sun. Everyone was standing in the sun to try to get warm.

I was close to the front of the pack at the start of the ride. This wasn't a race, just a fun leisurely ride through Cave Creek with 200 of my closest friends. When the ride started, I was in the first 25 riders (the only on a MTB). I stayed in this group for a few miles and a couple people passed me. At the 6 or so mile mark, the 35 mile group turned off. The 50 mile group headed up. It wasn't a terribly steep hill, just long. My hamstrings were cramping a bit so I ate a few bananas and stretched. Good as new. At the 9 mile mark, we turned around and followed the 35 mile group's route. I figured at the turn, I was probably still in the top 40. Not bad. Of course there's no prize for 40th place. Once we joined the 35 mile riders, it was hard to tell where I was in the pack, although I didn't let many pass me.

We rode through the scenic areas of Cave Creek getting out little "passport" stamped along the way. The passport pointed out interesting things about the area. Kinda a cool idea. I was rolling down a stretch of the Care Free Highway and at the turn into the Cave Creek Regiostanding Natural Areal Park (right turn) and the wind hit me as if it was a truck. It seemed that the wind was always behind each turn. I know it's impossible for the wind to switch around and blow from every direction, but I swear that it blew down every hill. Every climb was into a good headwind. Ugh.

The best part of the ride is that I used this ride through a site called Train 4 Autism to raise money for the National Autism Association. Thanks to friends and family, I raised over $1500! Pretty cool! When the ride started to suck really bad and my legs ached, i thought about why I was really riding and I found the strength. I kept telling myself, I was doing this for Matthew and millions of other kids that needed the help. Seemed a little corny, but it worked.

In hindsight, I asked myself:

1. Would I do the ride again? Hell yeah!
2. What would I do differently? Cancel the winds or just train on the hills harder.
3. Best thing I brought: Headband with ear covers - saved me!
4. Worst thing to take: I needed everything.

I can't wait for my next organized ride!

A Great Cycling Weekend

2009-11-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was great for me & the bike(s). Saturday started out with the Ride of Honor in north Mesa. Over 400 cyclists turned out to support those who have been injured or killed in vehicle-bicycle accidents. This event was incredible! The support form the local bike shops, SRP, elected officials, and businesses was awesome. There were all types of riders in attendance; professionals, recreational riders, triathletes, kids in trailers, kids on dirt bikes, and every type of rider you can imagine.

I was particularly touched meeting Kim Saks, whose husband was killed last October while training for the Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge (a 7 day, 600 mile charity bike ride from San Francisco to San Diego) an organization that raises money to provide prosthetics, hand cycles, and a variety of services for challenged athletes. I met a group of Kim’s friends at the Ride of Silence earlier this year and was touched by the story. Putting a face with the “story” deeply saddened me. Brett’s accident left behind, a wife and two small kids. I know Kim struggles from day to day and it was hard for her to be there Saturday. It turns out that Arizona has a 3 feet law that requires vehicles to give at least 3 feet when passing a cyclist on the road. Unfortunately, that law is seldom enforced. Brett and far too many others have had to pay the ultimate price for this. I wish I could do more to help her family and others.

On a happier note, on Sunday, the kids decided that they wanted me to pull them around the neighborhood in the bike trailer. We have split them up in the past due to them growing and the occasional “disagreement”. They promised me that they wouldn’t argue if I’d pull them both in the same trailer. We rode for a while and Emma decided she had to potty. Once we got back to the house, the kids encouraged Terri to get her bike out and we rode up to the store and picked up a few things for dinner. It was really nice to be out on bikes as a family again. That is one thing I really missed over the summer is riding with my wife with kids in tow. I was very happy to be able to do it again!

Overall a great cycling weekend. Not many miles (20), butu it’s the quality not the quantity that count.

Here are some pictures from the event:

Opening ceremonies

Starting out

Not the most flattering

Ghost Bike

Heading back

My next Jersey

The Chase

2009-10-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's ride started out COLD. 50 or so degrees at the start of the ride. Brrr. I'm glad I wore my full length gloves and new vest. Once my arms went numb, I was good.

Once we got to our turn aroung point at the end of Pecos Road, Kate & Ron decided not to take the hill loop and head straight down Pecos and back to the cars due to time constraints. I mentioned that I would take the loop and try to catch them on the way back. Here's where my plan falls apart; When Kate mentions that they are not doing the extra loop, I state that I am going to try to catch them after doing the loop. Now KAte is competitive by nature and I'm sure she was bound and determined NOT to let me catch her. Well, I didn't. I got to the cars about 15 minutes afetr they left. Oh well. It wasn't for lack of trying that's for sure.

The other "chase" yesterday was me chasing "Kid Rocket" again for most of the ride. I have figured out a way to keep ahaed of him. If we don't tell him the route, we will keep making wrong turns and have to double back to get on route! Poor guy did just that yesterday. He was so far out ahead of me, I didn't even realize he turned wrong. Of course he caught me.

I've decided that after my Cave Creek Bike Festival ride, I am going to list my mountain bike on Craigslist. I don't ride trails that much and I'm certainly not going out eploring alone. My only real options are to get a riding partner that can ride on my screwy schedule or get a road bike. I think the road bike is the better option. We'll see, it could take a while to sell the bike. What will probably happen is once I list it, and go out of town, I will get all sorts of inquiries. That's what usually happens.

Next week, the whole family will be participating in the Ride of Honor sponsored by the Not One More foundaation honoring injured or fallen cyclists. I'm really looking forward to this event as this is a cause that is very near to my heart. I think Kate is doing an event next week so the group won't be riding.

"Eric & the Skins"

2009-10-26T12:48:00.001-07:00

While riding with the usual weekend group yesterday, I rode alongside Kate for a while and we chatted a bit. She told me she was calling our ride that day 'Eric & the Skins'. I nearly crashed when I heard this name because of how funny it struck me. Turns out the entire group, other than me, were Native Americans. I received permission to use the name. I thought it was pretty catchy.

Yesterdays ride took us around the Usery Pass loop twice again. I hadn't ridden with the group in a few weeks and figured that my first ride back would be this one. This is by far our hardest ride. Lots of hill work, but very scenic. For a little extra torture, I threw in the Las Sendas mountain loop as well. Normally, this ride wouldn't kick my ass as much as it did yesterday. Saturday night, I went out with some friends to watch the UFC fights and had a couple beers. No big deal except that is was a couple more that I normal have the night before our rides. The first half of the ride, I was really feeling sluggish.

We had a couple new participants this weekend. Derrick, who is a 3rd year law student and Jake who is a 1st year. Derrick had just gotten his bike the day before and probably hadn't had time to have it fitted properly. He hunk in there and rode the whole ride. Once he gets his bike fitted to him, he's going to kick butt! Speaking of kicking butt, there's Jake (aka Kid Rocket). This "kid" is built like a cyclist; tall, thin, & lean. I rode with Jake for a while and talked to him and all of a sudden, he was gone. He started pulling away from me and I don't think I ever caught him except when he stopped for me. Oh sure, I could make all kinds of excuses; the beers, the age difference, the bike, this kid is just fast. I felt like I spent the first half of the ride "chasing the rocket". Once we reached the 1/2 way mark and headed back out, I decided I was going to do my best to keep pace with him. We started up Usery (the easier side) and I suddenly felt pretty good. I cranked! I pulled away from the group and saw Jake trying to catch me (for a change). I told myself that I'd be OK if he didn't catch me until the top. After the top of the hill and as we started the long descent, he caught me. I felt good knowing that I was able to hold him off as long as I did. Once we got to the bottom of the hill we rode together again for a while. Next up came the biggest, steepest hill of the ride (I call it King Kong). Suddenly, the rocket takes off again. WTF? Wasn't this the same kid who was saying after we came down that hill that he'd probably be walking up it? He absolutely flew up this hill. I wish I could hate him for it, but he's a pretty nice guy and that wouldn't be right.

We all finished the ride separately but within minutes of each other. Kate & Ron hung back with Derrick which was cool of them. Suzanne, Jake, & I pulled away from them on the return Usery climb. Since Jake was so far in front of me, he missed the turn to go up Las Sendas but still made the climb once he turned around.

It seems that I have inadvertently recruited Kate & Ron to join me on my century ride. Kate mentioned it while we chatted. It would be great to have some company! I think we are shooting for December sometime. Hopefully before the end of the year!

All in all, a great day to ride. A little chilly to start, but ended with perfect weather. The rest of the day I spent with the kids and massaging my legs from trying to catch "Kid Rocket".

Ride of Death

2009-09-26T17:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's ride was a great ride except for all the death around us.

Because of today's triathlon, most of our group was absent. It was just Ron & I. We started out both pretty strong (Ron was stronger) heading into the wind. We noticed it on the way to the starting point and figured it would eventually be a factor. Just didn't think it would so soon.

As soon as we came to the bottom of our first downhill, boom! Dead racoon. Bummer. We pedalled on and came across a dead possum, dead birds, and a dead snake. It seemed strange that with all the dead animals around that the morning was so beautiful. Seeing the sun rise over the mountains through a bullet riddled road sign really takes the breath away!

So we did our Usery Pass loops (19.5 miles each way) with plenty of hill. Some moron (me) decided it would be fun to climb Las Sendas mountain 38 miles into the ride. Well, we did and the workout was awesome! Which brings me to another "dead" fo rthe ride. We were cruising down Hawes Rd (at 35+mph) to meet McKellips and head back to the cars. Dead end. Hawes was closed due to construction. We went through the "road closed" signs to see if we could squeak through. No way. A huge hole in the ground and plenty of fencing made us have to turn back and go around. We looked at this as an opportunity to add mileage instead of a bad thing.

The last "dead" of the day was how I felt. I was wiped out! I don't think it was as much the distance as it was the climbing. All in all we rode 46.94 miles and climbed 2008 feet. Our average speed was 15.3mph and our max was 41mph. Our route is here.

I decided (at least my butt did), that my seat is inadequate for long rides. My butt was also asking me to switch my seat. I think I will put the gel seat back on for my ride in November. Which reminds me, I am using my ride in November to raise money for the National Autism Association. If you can help me by donating, please click here. Thanks.

A Hill, 6 Dudes, & a Headwind

2009-09-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, our group decided to ride the "Pecos Road Loopx2" route. The route is fairly flat with some slight rolling hills. Last time we did this route, the hill on Chandler Blvd was taken East to West. Not too steep, but a little longer than the down side. Last time on the downside, I hit 43mph. This time we decided to do that part of the loop clockwise (West to East). Just a little steeper. Since this route is fairly flat, I rode the single speed. On the way up the hill, I was out of my saddle, and pulling my body down so that I could keep pedalling. I thought my legs were going to explode and my lungs felt as if they were going to jump out of my chest, it was great! I thought I was going to stop to rest, but somehow, I managed to keep on moving and make it to the top. Ron, has nicknamed this hill "Big Bertha". She was much kinder on the counterclockwise part of the trip (I did hit 43.3mph coming back down).

We were all dudes this trip. With the exception of Bertha, it was just us dudes. Kate and Suzanne, you guys missed a great ride. I don't know who it was that decided that Gary should lead, but he dragged us along for the first 10 miles. as mentioned in Kate's blog, Gary is "The Pro". He is a fast rider and really knows a lot about the sport. Gary finally pulled away from the rest of us, but we caught him on the hill. I hope to see both ladies back out with us soon.

We started this ride at 6:00 and finished around 9:00. I hadn't noticed until we were at the end of Pecos Road, but the wind sort of picked up. The whole 20 miles back was into the wind and slightly uphill. With the wind and the hills, the 40 miles we rode almost felt like 50.

It should be noted that Kate, Peter, & Kyle are all doing the Nathan's triathlon in Tempe this coming weekend. Good luck you guys, you'll do awesome!

Still on Track

2009-08-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

Through August, year to date, I have now ridden 2,236 miles. I am definitely on track to make my 3,000 mile goal. Infact, if I keep the same pace, I could almost hit 3,500!

Our weekend ride group decided to tackle the Usery Pass loop this past weekend. You can check the route here if you like. The hills are not too shabby, a 1,660 ft climb/decent. We decided to go clockwise and atthe end of 18ish miles turn around and go back. In the group was Kate & Ron (this is Kate's idea) and a girl from Oregon named Suzanne (one of Katre's students).

We all started out together fairly strong (19-20mph), and then a big down hill (hit 39.7mph). Cool! I decided to ride my mountain bike since it has gears and my road bike doesn't. I planned to put the slicks on so I could hang with the road bikes, but Saturday when I grabbel the wheel, it had no tube. Bummer. I would have to work that much harder to hang in with them. On the first hill, I started to put a little distance between me and the pack. It wasn't long before Ron caught me.

Next hill, 4-1/2% grade for a couple miles, no biggie. We started out and Suzanne's bike decided that it liked the big chain ring better than the small. That wasn't going to work. We all stopped to get this fixed and were back on our way. We made it to the top and down the hill to our turn around/starting point. What I found interesting about the return climb is that Suzanne flew up this hill. I swear she's part mountain goat! I didn't realize how long that big hill was until we went screaming down it (32mph max) for over 3 miles. We crouched down as to get better aerodynamics and more speed. I was crouched so long that my back started cramping. The hill that I hit 39mph coming down absolutely sucked going back up. In cycling, what goes down almost alway comes back up. We were 35 miles into the ride and it was in the upper 90's. Luckily we were near the end and could call it a successful ride.

All in all, it was a great day to ride. Great group, great route, great work out.

Cave Creek Bike Festival

2009-08-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

It's been decided. Instead of the logistical nightmare of riding the Tour de Tucson, I will instead ride in the Cave Creek 50 mile Discovery Road Ride on November 15th. in this ride, each registrant will receive a ride "passport" and at each stop along the 50 mile route, a page will be "stamped" with a handmade stamp depicting an important feature of the area. The passport will also contain a brief note about the area's significance to the region. Kinda cool.

Here's what's really cool. Terri turned me on to a site called Train 4 Autism (www.train4autsim.com). This site allows one to participate in any athletic event and raise funds for an autism based charity. How cool is that? I've chosen the National Autism Association because of their support to the biomedical protocol for curing autism. As many of you know, my son has been diagnosed with autism and we are fighting it (and I think winning) because of the biomedical supplements we give him. For more on this protocol, check out Terri's blog. She's way smarter than me on all this. So I set my goal and have started fund raising for autism. I have been blown away by the support from my friends and family. If you're reading this and have donated, thank you very much!

So, Terri had an order with the National Autism Association for some of those ribbon magnets and other stuff. She told them about my ride and they a were super appreciative. They are even going to throw a mini-magnet in the order for my bike! Gives me an idea to create a custom autism awareness cycling jersey. Hmmmm.

I'm pumped to finally ride in an "organized ride" again. It's been a long time. the camaraderie and support is awesome. i always find myself riding just a little bit harder when in a group like that. i don't want to be the guy sucking wind. If you care to donate to my "Ride for Autism click here. You can even join my team and ride with me if you want. November is a great time to ride in Arizona, the ground is no longer like the surface of the sun! C'mon out, I could use the company.

Update

2009-08-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted anything. I guess there's been nothing going on. That couldn't be further from the truth.

My work workload has cranked up significantly. Not sure if it means an economic upturn or not, but I've been flat out busier. Not a lot of time to ride. Not even the stationary at night. I've been busy doing work shit. Kinda sucks.

I recently joined a Saturday riding group that has recharged me. One of my wife's friends (the one that talked her into doing a triathalon) is training for a half IronMan in March and started a small riding group that rides on Saturday mornings. I rode with this group last weekend for a "30 mile" ride. i figured; 30 miles, easy enough, I'll take the single speed. The route was fairly flat with a smallish hill and some rolling hills towards the end. This was only my 3rd ride in the month of August and I'd figured, I'd suck wind. Surprisingly, I rode pretty well. I found myself leading the group for the one hill and the last leg of the ride. This was a geat group to ride with and I can't wait for the next ride. Here's a link to Kate's blog.
I was looking into doing the Tour de Scottsdale in early Oct, but Terri is out of town that weekend. Maybe I can do the Tour de Tucson in November. I need to work on some of the logistics, though.

Bottom line, I guess is that thanks to Kate and her riding group, she's recreated a monster. All I want to do again is ride. Thanks Kate and let's tackle some hills!

I'm in Oregon - Finally!

2009-07-28T21:25:00.001-07:00

What seemed like an endless (but beautiful) virtual ride up the coast of California, has come to an end. I finally made it into Oregon. I thought I'd never get out of California. Winding up the coast certainly isn't the most direct route, but certainly the prettiest in my mind. Oregon shouldn't take too long then it's into Washington, peak into Canada, and east through washington some more.

Hitting another state has renewed my excitement for my virtual ride!

Gila Bend, Really?

2009-05-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

After some discussion about the logistics of my Gila Bend ride this fall, I have decided to alter the rout slightly. Ok, a lot. It turns out that riding to Gila Bend isn't as big a deal as getting back. I had 2 choices. 1) ride back, or 2) have the fam come pick me up. I didn't really want to stay the night in Gila Bend and ride back and 200 miles in 1 day is out. In order for the family to come get me, it would require the kids to be cooped up in the car for 1-1/2 hours out and teh same back just to pick up their dad who got a bee up his butt to ride to GB.

So, a slight change in route was needed. I'm still going to ride a century (100 miles), just around the greater Phoenix area. I have posted my route on the right side of my blog page. If thereare any other crazy cyclists that would care to join me...misery loves company. I can offer room and board, a hot shower, relaxing in the spa afterwards, plenty of cold beer, and decent company. I'm planning to roll out on 9/26/09. Let me know, could be fun.

I Made it!

2009-04-13T10:26:00.000-07:00

Last night I completed my virtual trek across the country. I started last February on my virtual tour in Atlantic City, NJ and last night made it to the USA/Mexico border just at San Diego. I actually crossed the border (I was there, why not?) and am headed to Imperial Beach to dip my tire in the Pacific (virtually speaking of course).

I am going to head north up the coast of California to Washington and possibly into Canada and then head back East to AC.

Just wanted to share...

Any cyclists or runners should join our online group

2009-04-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

We're an online group who track our miles and compete against each other (not too seriously) for the highest monthly miles. We push each other and motivate each other to do more as well as have some online fun. Check it out!

Useless Ride stats 3/29

2009-03-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Total Miles: 20.38
Time Taken: 1:14
Average Speed: 16.43mph
Top Speed: 25mph
Close Calls: 0
Railroad tracks crossed: 2
Freeways Crossed: 1 (twice)

Ride started out cold this morning, but once my fingers and ears went numb (few miles in), things were cranking. Rode south from my house along the canal until pavement ended and continued another few miles alon Lindsay. I must say, I love riding Lindsay. The road that is. The bike lanes are usually debris free & in good condition, and traffic is usually light. I wish all roads the the east valley could be like Lindsay. I was hoping for a longer ride this morning, but one road that didn't go through caused me to turn and therefore shorten my ride. I need to start riding longer rides since my Gila Bend ride is coming up in September.

Music to my Ears

2009-03-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, I just arrived home from a few days in San Diego, when my son says "Hey Dad, wanna ride bikes?" Keep in mind that I had just driven 6 hours and my butt is tired. Typically in the late afternoon, the kids ride their bikes out front under our supervision. I helped Matthew get his bike out as he put his helmet on and started to get the lawn chair. "No Dad, you need your bike", my son calls out, I goy out my bike (& helmet) and we rode up and down the street having a blast. "Let's go around the block now", he says. OK, off we go. We rode up to the trail under the power lines and back home for dinner just as Emma was coming out. We rode a few more minutes with Emma and finally had our pizza dinner. (Fridays are turning into "pizza night"). As we're putting the bikes away, Matthew turns to me and says "I like riding bikes with you, Dad". A more emotional me would have broken down on the spot. Instead I said " I like riding bikes with you too pal", and smiled in hearing such a beautiful thing from my son.

The Clap

2009-03-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

I have often wondered, sometimes aloud "why do we clap"? When we approve of something, or are happy, excited, or whatever, why is it that banging our hands together is the way we show approval? I guess there are worse ways to demonstrate (monkeys throwing poo comes to mind). I've seen all three of my children as babies clap their hands in excitement at a toy and wondered it each time I saw it. Is it something in our genes? Clearly, as babies we're not "taught" to clap our hands, it just happens.

I saw an article on MSN the other day: http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/bigger-picture/articlees.aspx?cp-documentid=17989390&GT1=32001. It is about the silent histor of clapping. I couldn't click on the link fast enough. Maybe, just maybe, this article will shed some light. Nope, not really. Just a few theories. If anyone has the answer, I'd love to hear it.

I'm in California!

2009-03-02T20:26:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I finally made it to California in my virtual cross country tour. I'm still in Eastern California, but at least I'm here (virtually speaking, of course). I'm planning to ride to San Diego and maybe up the coast to Washington or down to Mexico. I'm still not sure.

A friend of mine put the bug in my ear to maybe someday California. I'll have to wait and see how my Gila Bend ride goes this fall.

Target Marketing?

2009-02-10T21:24:00.000-08:00

I'm riding the stationary bike tonight and watching Ultra Extremely Extreme Cage Fighting (kinda like the UFC without the budget). I know, it's violent, but it relaxes me.

Anywhoo, I typically don't pay too much attention to the commercials because I use that time to crank up the tension and hammer as fast as I can. But tonight, I noticed two different "male enhancement" commercials. One was for a pump and the other a pill. Are people (guys) who watch MMA the target audience for such products? Do guys who watch MMA have little wangs? Does watching this make my wang shrink? It occurred to me how they target the watchers of these events with products they may want.

What about the guys in these commercials? I wouldn't want to be an actor and be known as the guy in the male enhancement commercial. What a stigma! I could see it now, "Hey here comes the guy in the small penis ad"! They don't differentiate wheter these are actual users or paid actors. Hmmmmmm. If my agent brought me this gig, I would not only turn it down, but probably look for a new agent. But I guess in this economy work is work.

I'm in Arizona!

2009-01-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

I know, I live in Arizona; but on my virtual bike ride across the country, I'm now in Arizona! If you want to see a map of my ride click here. A little less than a year ago, I began this "virtual ride" across the country with a few "virtual friends". We log our actual ridden miles at mapmyride.com and plot our course across the country. If anyone want's to start doing this, fee free to join our group.

Today we had Emma's birthday party and Terri & I got her a cool new princess bike. She absolutely loves it. My garage is starting to look like a bike shop (which is kinda cool). The kids have a blast riding their bikes out front with the other kids in the neighborhood. Watching this is awesome. I can't help but wonder if one of them will really get into cycling like their old man. Hmmmmmm

Hello, My Name is Eric, and I'm an Addict

2009-01-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

I'm driving from one end appointment to another along a pretty seculded road this morning at the direction of my trusy GPS when I see a sign along the road with a picture of a bike and below i reading "Share the Road". What a cool sign! I wish there were more of these out there.

Anywhoo, shortly after seeing this sign, I see a lone cyclist silently churning up a fairly long grade. I was overcome with jealousy. I wished that it was me climbing that hill on a bike, not in a car. Oftentimes, when I'm out driving, I see cyclists and long to be in the saddle along side them (preferrably passing them). Every time I see a cyclist on the road, I have to turn to see what he's riding. I haven't seen too many singlespeed/fixed gear bikes out there-yet. I think what it comes down to is that I have an addiction. There, I said it. My name is Eric & I have a cycling addiction. They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

I don't think this addiction is a problem though. It's improving my health, I feel better, and it's fun. Nobody get's injured except me (well there was that one guy in the Mira Mesa mall parking lot...his fault-not mine). This addiction is good for the environment too. I'd much rather ride my bike to the store or run errands than drive - saving polution. If I'm not working, my thoughts are usually on cycling. Even my son, when we go to the store...."Dad, let's go look at the bikes!" Brings a tear to my eye. Matthew spends a lot f his time out front riding his bike with or without the other kids in the neighborhood. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit proud of that. So, that's it. I'm keeping my addiction thank you very much. No twelve step program for me. I plan on riding until I can't ride anymore.

New Year, New Ride, New Goal

2008-12-30T08:07:00.000-08:00

With a New Year approaching, my riding has also begun anew! My wife (who is awesome, by the way) got me a new ride for Christmas. For the past year, I have bee riding my “hardtail” mountain bike with either the urban assault tires or slicks to log miles. By “hardtail”, I mean no suspension. Many of the mountain bikes you see out there are full suspension or at least front suspension. I believe this takes away the true feel of riding. Some people swear by full suspension, but I’m not buying it.

My new bike is a ’08 Scattante Americano Single Speed. This bike has a flip flop back hub that I can flip over to change the bike to a fixed gear. A single speed bike is like the bikes we rode as kids – no gears. I bought a bike trailer from a guy in 07 who rode a fixed gear bike and swore by it. Ever since talking to him about fixed gear bikes, I have been intrigued. I did some research and found this bike that can be either single speed of fixed gear. Once I get the feel for hoe the bike handles I will get a new cog and make the switch to fixed gear. A fixed gear bike is an interesting machine. Basically, you can’t coast; if the pedals are moving, so is the back wheel. Stop pedaling, stop moving. Once I make this switch, I’ll be sure to post about it.

With the New Year also comes a new mileage goal. In 2008, I rode over 2000 miles on either my mountain bike or the stationary. It’s only the 30th and I still have 2 more riding days left in the year. Yesterday’s ride put me at 2048 for the year. In 2009, I am shooting for 3000 miles. This should be doable as I really only started counting 2008 miles in late February while helping my wife train for her first triathlon.

Stay tuned for how my progress is going.

I did it!

2008-12-18T19:06:00.000-08:00

This summer, I decided that I would set a goal of riding 2000 miles by the end of the year. I am happy to report (as if anyone reads this) that on December 16th, I accomplished my goal. It was nothing special. In fact I was in a hotel gym, by myself with he TV going (satelite was fading in & out even). I hit my goal for the year and silently kept going. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was quite low key. Anyway, I did it, & I'm happy about it. Maybe I'll shoott for 3000 for next year....

I'm out of Texas!

2008-12-13T20:38:00.000-08:00

I know my header should be "I'm in New Mexico", but my dislike for Texas leans me to be more excited to not be there (virtually). I ronically, I fly to El Paso next Tuesday where I'll probably break my 2000 mile mark for he year (if the hotel gym has a bike). Yes, I'm only 36.78 miles away from the 2000 mile goal I set for myself this summer. Kinda cool!

I saw something on the road the other day that struck me as odd. A guy was riding his bike down the sidewalk (a huge pet peeve) and got all torqued when a car pulled across the sidewalk to check for a break in traffic so he could go wherever. Dude had no reason to be honed off; he shouldn't have been on the side walk. There was a perfectly good bike lane righht next to him on the street. For those who like to ride on side walks-please stop. Cars do not expect a bicycle to come flying down the sidewalk and the possibility of being hit is far greater than if you're on the street. Now if you're 8 years old and going to school, that's different. Adults should ride in the street (in the bike lane) and obey the same traffic laws as cars.

What's Killing all the Fish?

2008-12-06T19:18:00.000-08:00

Emma & I ran some errands today by riding. Well she rode in the trailer and I pulled her on the bike. We rode a little over 15 miles and on one stretch of the ride, we rode along one of the canals. When I first pulled onto the tow path, I noticed lots and lots of trash floating in the canal. I woouldn't have been surprised to have seen a trash truck overturned in the canal up stream.

Then I started seeind dead fish floating. What's killing them? I believe that this is the water that irrigates our crops. I wonder how much disease and funk is being washed over our crops and into the ground water?....All the more reason to keep my garden growing. Terri was saying something about a recent law that says all crops have to be irradiated and you will need a license to have a garden. I say bullshit. I will not only continue growing a garden, I am going to expand it.

Sorry to get too environmental, but it's important that we take care of the planet we have. I guess that's why I ride a bike to do errands instead of driving.

Useless Ride stats 11/29

2008-11-29T07:29:00.000-08:00

COLD morning ride this morning.

Total miles - 10.12miles
Avg Speed - 13.9mph
Max Speed - 18.7mph
Time - 43 minutes

Nothing exciting this morning. The canal was steaming because the air was so cold (47 degrees). Had 1 dog that was being walked (on a leash) that had the look of death in his eyes for me. It was everything the poor lady could tdo to hold him back. I may need to start carrying protection in case there are critters out there not leashed and held back. Maybe a bo staff or nunchucks (not from the Wii).

I'm in Texas!

2008-11-25T06:48:00.000-08:00

It's hard to put the exclamation mark in the title. I'm not a big fan of Texas and luckily I'm passing through the top part via Amarillo along the 40. I found the above picture to be interesting because the grass/weeds are growing high enough to obscure the word "proud" (Mother Nature knows what's up).

Hopefully, I'll be in New Mexico soon and the virtual Texans are better than the real ones!

Useless Ride stats 11/23

2008-11-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

2 days of riding in a row, a good weekend!

Total miles - 15.62miles
Avg Speed - 13.9mph
Max Speed - 24.1mph
Time - 1:07

I put the "urban assault" tires back on! (the average speed was up even) What a great feeling to ride on dirt again. The dust flying, the grit in the teeth, pure heaven. Tomorrow night, I should hit the Texas border on my virtual ride.

Useless Ride stats 11/22

2008-11-22T11:50:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a while.
Total miles - 12.52
Avg speed - 13.6mph
Max speed - 24.1mph
Time - 55 minutes

Beautiful day for riding. Pulled the princess in the trailer. No bodies found in the canal (it was way shallow today too).

Useless Ride stats 11/5

2008-11-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

Total miles - 15.71 Miles
Avg Speed - 17.1 mph
Max Speed - 27.8 mph
Time - 55 minutes
Fairly strong head wind heading West. Nice day for riding! No bodies found in the canals.

I'm not sure if I'm getting stronger or just had a good speed day. The video below shows the type of headwind I had.

Useless Ride stats 11/2

2008-11-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

Total miles - 9.12
Average speed - 16.2mph
Max speed - 27.2mph
Total time - 33:57minutes

Just a quick jaunt to the store & Tom & Erika's house. Had to use the lights towards the end of the ride. Felt good to be back in the saddle!

300!

2008-10-29T21:12:00.001-07:00

I did it! I hit my 300 mile goal for the month. It wasn't nearly as bloody as pictured above, but that was a cool movie and what better way to write the number 300? All I have to do to make my year end goal is 250 miles for the next 2 months - very doable at this point. With the silly season approaching, I'll have to make sure to crank when I do ride in November & December. Stay tuned...

I'm in Oklahoma

2008-10-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

Never thougt that I would announce something like this...I just entered Oklahoma.

Terri's out of town and after running out of paint in the living room, I decided to log some miles. So silently, I pedalled (watching TV) and finally entered Oklahoma on my virtual tour. It seemed like I'd never get through Arkansas, but I did. If I hit my 300 mile goal for the month, I only need to average 250 miles for both November and December to make my 2000 miles for the year goal.

I should be able to log some "real" bike miles next weekend since the weather's been so nice. For now, I'll settle for the stationary. It sure beats doing nothing!

A Roadie waved at me

2008-10-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Cyclists who ride road bikes, roadies, typically don’t say hello or wave while riding. This isn’t to say that all roadies don’t greet each other, but it is common knowledge that roadies typically don’t wave. I’m not sure why this happens or doesn’t happen but more often than not, it is the case. Perhaps raising your hand a mere 4 inches will mess up your cadence and trow off your rhythm. Maybe your jersey is so tight that it is physically impossible to raise your hand. Maybe my bike isn't the latest and greatest or even a road bike.

Today, however, I waved at a roadie on the opposite side of the street and he waived back! This seemd strange to me mainly bacause every other roadie that I waived at barely gave me a glance. Now, I'm not some jackass wildly waving at everybody on the road, but a quick "good morning" or a raise of the fingers on the handlebar on the side they're on is usually the norm. Lot's of walkers don't even say hello.

What's the deal with all these grumps out there? Kindness in contageous and I will continue to say hello and be nice on the road. If people are so miserable with their exercise regiment or sport, pick something else to do. If you are suffering so much for your sport, pick a different one. I believe that you excel much more when you are doing something you love to do; be it sports, your job, or whatever. you have to enjoy what you're doing or it's not worth doing at all.

Only 700 to go!

2008-10-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

Back in August, when I hit 1000 miles, I set a goal of riding 2000 miles by th eend of the year. As of tonight I have "only" 700 miles to go. With only 83 days left in the year... wait a minute, how did that sneak up on us?!? Anyway, with only 83 days left, I need to ride an average of 8.5ish miles per day to meet this goal.

Not an impossible task, but not easy either. With the silly season approaching, I will need to make sure I ride whenever I get a chance.

We'll see how it goes. Stay tuned for updates....

Would you steal it?!?

2008-09-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

I was walking up to a hospital today to make a sales call and ran across this Huffy leaning against a bike rack. I had to laugh because the bike lock is still on the seatpost and not locking the bike to anything. I guess the owner of this bike realizes what he has and thet it is probably safe not being locked up. I, of course, am an honest person and wouldn't think of stealing a bike. I remember an event called the "huffy toss" where a bike of this type would be thrown for distance. Read more here.

I'm in Arkansas!

2008-09-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well, virtually anyway. On my virtual trip across the country, I left Memphis this morning and entered Arkansas.

I am still breaking in my new saddle and needless to say, my butt is a little sore. The old seat was a heavy gel seat (but quite comfy). This one is a little lass comfy, but not too bad. I guess I need to just build up the callouses on my butt...

A wierd thing I saw riding today was dead birds. I first came across a dead mallard duck near the canal and a sparrow later in the ride. It was strange to see these birds lifelessly laying there. I saw many more live animals on my ride including llamas, geese, peacocks, and fish. I'll try to get some oictures of the various animals on my journeys at a later date.

One year to go!

2008-09-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

With the passing of this last weekend, my ride to Gila Bend is only a little over a year away. That gives me 1 year to:

Get in shape enough to ride 100 miles in 1 shot
Get my bike ready for such a ride
Plan my route-Done!
Get in shape enough to ride 100 miles in 1 shot

The get in shape part is listed twice because it's twice as important as the rest. I got a new saddle (seat) for my birthday and I'll need to get my but accustomed to it (literally).

Now that fall is here, officially at 8:44 this morning, the weather is cooling down enough to do lot's of riding! I will also nee dto make sure I ride enough next summer to maintain everything that I do this fall/winter. I can't wait to start!

Back in the Saddle!

2008-09-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to get back on the bike yesterday! If you've read earlier posts (not that anyone does), I've been itching to try out my new pedals/shoes. It has started to cool off here so yesterday was my big day. I rode a little over 14 miles and felt great...until this morning. I wasn't sore from the ride per se, but the placement of the clips on my shoes.

My pedals require an SPD (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) clip on the bottom of the shoe to "clip" into the pedal. There are several reasons for clipless pedals:

Without something holding your foot securely to the pedal, it would be easy to slip off the pedal and send your foot into the wheel. Not so likely to happen on a trip around the block, but on a longer ride, when you're tired...

There is a correct placement for the position of your foot over the pedal axle

A good pedal/shoe system has to be able to transfer all of the power from your leg to the pedals without trying to bend your foot over the top of the pedal, which causes both fatigue and pain

You shouldn't have to think about how your feet connect to the bicycle while you're riding. You should be concentrating on having fun, not technique!

Placement of the cleat on the shoe for optimal power transfer is key. I had my cleats all the way up towards the front. Imagine riding wth only using your toes. Needless to say, my left calf is a little sore today. Ok, a lot sore. It was difficult walking down the staris first thing this morning. I've been stretching and hopefully tomorrow it will feel better. Below is a picture of one of my pedals to give you an idea of what they look like.

Flagstaff

2008-09-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

I was in Flagstaff yesterday on business and there were bikes everywhere! Of course, I was near the college, but through the downtown district you couldn't look 100 yards without seeing someone riding. The weather up there is perfect right now for cycling...mid 70's-ish.

Damn, I'm itching to get on my bike again. My birthday is coming up and I've been putting a wishlist of components together (even a road bike-not that that'll happen). I'm really excited for cooler weather to coe so I can get back on it.

I did some stationary riding again tonight, but it's just not the same.

Game On!

2008-09-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

While driving to the chiroprator this morning, I saw TONS of cyclist on the road. Suddenly it struck me: "Hey it's not 1000 degrees this morning, riding season is upon us"!

I only drove this morning because we are doing Matthew's birthday party today and time was short (and it's been 1000 degrees).

I plan to do some REAL riding next weekend. Enough of this stationary bike I want the real deal.

1000 Miles!

2008-08-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Since Terri started training for her triathalon in late February, I have started logging my miles on www.mapmyride.com. I have been doing a virtual tour across the country starting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. All the miles I ride either on my bike or the stationary, are logged and mapped. The other night, I hit 1000 miles! It was fairly low key; Terri was in the other room and the kids were asleep. I silently passed this milestone and continued on. It took 5 months to get to 1000, and I'm going to do everything I can to hit 2000 by the end of the year.

Mid-Life Crisis?

2008-07-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

Ever since Terri decided to do a triathalon earlier this year, I've been back on the bike to train along side of her. I had forgotten just how much I love riding. Since that fateful day in February, I have been obsessed with riding. It seems to be all I think about. I guess there are worse obsessions I could have.

While driving to San Diego, I caught myself evaluating the shoulders of the road for cycling. (they didn't look too bad). Wait a minute, I can't ride to San Diego. It's 300+ miles with some huge-assed hills! It would take at least 3 days to complete. Oh well.

Gila Bend! I could ride there! It's only about 90 miles and pretty flat. On the way home I pay closer attention to the road from GB to the house. This is completely doable. I ran the idea by Terri to see what she thought. "Is that a crazy idea"? "No crazier than me doing a triathalon" she said. Approval! Support! Sweet!

So, around my 40th birthday, I will ride! Should be fun & interesting at the same time.
Stay tuned for details...

What is the Universe Telling Me?

2008-06-30T21:36:00.001-07:00

In the last 2 months, I have had four flats and been hit by a vehicle once. Terri thinks that all these incidents are trying to tell me I should take a break from the bike for a while. I'm a little more hard headed than that I suppose. Regardless of what the cycling gods are trying to say, I ride on!

Ok, I'm at the gym on the stationary. As I mindlessly crank away, I understand just how therapeutic cycling is for me. The stationary is a substitute only for the exercise and mileage. My mind is not able to wander or focus on the many things currently running through it. I get no feeling of going anywhere. Just another hamster on the wheel.

Right now, there's a lot going on. My Grandmother is quite ill and probably not going to be around much longer. I feel so helpless here in AZ. Yes, I was out there last week, but I wish I could be there to help more.

I have to be here for my wife & kids too. They are my life and it's hard to spend any time away from them.

I shouldn't bike & blog at the same time.

The Hills of San Diego

2008-06-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

I'm in my hometown (kinda) this week to help with some family stuff. I decided to bring my bike for some early morning/evening meditation. i actually use my time on the bike to reflect and gather my thoughts much like I used to do while surfing.

Anywhoo, I'm out riding this morning down a newer street in Mira Mesa where my mom lives called Calle Cristobal(sp?). There is a fairly good downhill and decent bike lane. As I am FLYING down this hill, I counted no less than 9 man hole covers. What's the deal with that?!? Put the manholes out where it won't affect bicycle traffic. Obviously poor planning on the part of the city. Probably some engineer who is not a cyclist. If work needs to be done in one of these holes, thay would more than likely close the right lane.

By the way; when I mentioned I was flying, my cyclocomputer clocked me at 51.7mph. This is a new personal best for me. I probably could have squeaked out a few more mph, but wih the traffic and curvature of the road, tis was good. Ironically, the speed limit on this road is 50mph. How wild would that be to get a speeding ticket at that speed on a bicycle? It would never happen as I was being passed during my flight. It was a short but sweet ride down followed by a mild climb back up to the mesa. All in all, a good ride today.

Keep it rubber side down!

Slicker than ???

2008-06-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

So I finally got the tires for the wheels I bought on craigslist and put them on the bike. I mounted "slicks" which are tires with very little tread. My normal tires are wide with lots of meaty tread. I call them my urban assault tires. For riding on the road, I like to ride slicks for speed. I test rode them last night to make sure the gears worked and everything was good.

This morning Emma & I rode to the chiropracter's office; and what a difference. We were absolutely flying! On the way there, we cruised at 18-19MPH (not bad pulling a trailer). The way back was slightly slower due to the heat. It was about 100 degrees and it was only 10:00AM. Needless to say, we didn't overdo it.

I can't wait to see what type of pace I can hold without a trailer.

What a Night!

2008-06-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

Last night I rode the stationary bike at the gym for 15.25 miles. Mindlessly droning on and on and on. Even though the gym is air conditioned, I was drenched after my hour.

Tonight, however, I'm back in the real saddle and absolutely cranking along. I was a machine, I felt that I could ride all night long. About 17 miles into the ride, heading towards home, I am crossing the intersection of Higley & Elliott. I know you're probably thinking " you live at Higley & Elliott"; and I do. As I said, I felt that I could ride all night and decided to ride to the ball parks and come home along the power lines (another 4 miles or so).

So I'm cruising through the intersection, having just switched my headlight to flash for better visibility when this Chevy Avalanche approaches the intersection from the South....fast. He's gonna run the red, turn right and continue on his way. One small problem, I'm at the place where he needs to turn. I realize that he doesn't see me and is going to hit me. I hit the brakes, start yelling at him, and start evasive maneuvers. Well, he did hit me but not too hard. Actually he nudged me more that hit me. I pulled over to make sure my bike was OK. I wasn't even knocked off, but would have been pissed if this jackoff screwed up my bike. He sat at the intersection for a while, probably not realizing he just hit a cyclist. When he started to get out of the truck, I lectured him that he needs to watch out for us on the road and pay better attention. He mumbled some bullshit about losing me in the lights of the oncoming traffic. Now, I use my flashing front light n the road and wear a "hi-visibility" jersey. I'm sure all the way home he justified to his wife in the passenger seat how I was in the wrong for being at the intersection where he intended to run a red light. Jackass!

This little incident got me to thinking. Most of the bicycle/road safety information out there is geared for cyclists. Where's the bike safety info for motorists? We as cyclist have to ride as if we're invisible, because we are. There are far too many distractions to drivers these days (cell phones, lattes, changing radio stations, text messaging, being an idiot, ....)

I could have been going off like a roman candle on the 4th of July with a lit sparkler dangling out of my ass and this guy wouldn't have seen me. I am going to credit my defensive/evasive riding and Jedi reflexes for keeping this from being a much worse incident.

So if you are out there driving, please keep your eyes open for cyclists, and give them some room.

Am I some deranged trill seeker? no
Is riding at night dangerous? yes
Will I be back on the bike at night? you bet your ass!

Thanks for listening

It's a Small World...

2008-06-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

Back in April, Terri did her first triathalon (Susan G Comen Tri for the Cure). She did awesome and I couldn't be more proud. She is doing another in July with Torrey. She expressed concern about riding her mountain bike and making good time.

Well; while she was in Sedona for some much deserved R&R, I sold her mountain bike and got her a road bike. Nice bike, should help her speed. I sold the bike on Craigslist to a guy who bought it for his wife to ride with him.

So, I've been wanting to get a spare set of wheels for my bike so I could have one with off-road tires and one with slicks (tires with little or no tread for speed).
I found a Nishiki bike on Craigslist for only $20, and the wheels looked like they might work! I went to look at the bike and the guy selling it was the same guy who bought Terri's bike. How weird is that? That probably means something deeper than I think.

I'm still trippin. Hope I didn't get the song stuck in your head.

Keep it rubber side down.

Virtual Bike Ride Across the Country

2008-05-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

I am doing a virtual bike ride across the country. Basically, all the miles I log on the bike are plotted on a map at http://www.mapmyride.com/. It's a fun way to keep track of the miles I ride and gives me a goal to reach versus mindlessly droning on and on with no purpose. Once I hit Raliegh, NC, I wll head west on along interstate 40. If you know of any interesting places that i should virtually see or any friends or family along the route you'd like me to virtually check in on, please let me know. I've already been given the name of a steak house in Barstow, CA. I hope to post intersting stories of my virtual trek across the country.

To view my progress on my map, please click the button below my picture.

What are the odds?

2008-05-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

After fixing my flat yesterday, I went for a nice ride last night to get some exercise. It was a fun 15 mile route that runs along the canal, railroad track, and power lines nearby.

My bike is geared for climbing and I've been lookinging into either regearing it, or setting up a new set of wheels for the more flat riding that I am doing now. While researching how to build a wheel, I stumble across various articles; one of them was about chain maintenance. Since I can't remember the last time I cleaned my chain, I went out to do so.

WHAT THE F***? My front tire was flat again. Now that the kids are in bed, I went out to see what was going on with my front tire. Did I put the tube in wrong? Did I pinch it? Is it a bad tube? I took the tube out and found that it had been punctured. I decide to check the tire for something that may be there and popping my tube. I laid the tube next to the tire with the stem next to the hole in the rim and investigated. Ahaa! There it was. A decent sized thorn. (see picture)

As I mentioned in my earlier post. There are different hazards out here than in San Diego. I think I just found what they've been telling me. I guess I'm glad the tube hung in there for 15 miles before giving up.

What did I learn? If/when I flat again, check the tube, find the problem and clear any crap that may be stuck in the tire.

My first flat

2008-05-29T16:02:00.000-07:00

Last night, I went for a quick "recovery ride" (less than 10 miles) and as I ride back into the community, my front tire starts makeing a wierd sound. Flat tire. Damn! At least I was less that 1/4 mile from home so I was able to limp back without any damage to the rim.

A quick background: I used to ride when we lived in San Diego a LOT! It was not uncommon for me to get on the bike and ride down to the beach (50 miles round trip) on a whim. While in college, I worked in a lumber yard so I rode to work. I rode to school (14 miles). I rode everywhere! I rode a nice "road bike" and the mountain bike I ride now.

The terrain out here is different from what I'm used to. I used to ride in the canyons in San Diego. there are no canyons here. I currently ride along the power lines and canal tow paths.
The canal paths are usually pretty smooth with a few sections of roughness in between. Some paths are now even paved. The power line "trails" are a whole new experience. I probably ran over some glass or a thorn or something last night that punctured my innertube. Oh yeah, I also ride at night for added excitement. I'll post about riding at night later.

Anyhoo, I got my flat last night and went to Performance Bike today to get a new tube (www.performancebike.com). If you are into cycling or new to it, this shop is awesome! the people are friendly and they have a TON of stuff. I can forsee many dollars flowing to them as I add to my accessories.

That's just a little bit of what this blog is about. I will post more when time permits.