‘Twas an interesting cycling weekend, where I did two rides that shared a common thread: riding with fast guys, who (on these rides) traded in their well-known speed on something more relaxed (and perhaps social).
Saturday 200k
The first was last Saturday, where about a dozen of us randonneur folks rode the “Prairies & Wetlands” 200k permanent. Now, I was a little rusty with this 200k business. I hadn’t done one since early December, when a number of us completed our R-12’s (12 consecutive monthly 200k [or longer] rides). But more than continuing to work on an R-whatever, I think it was that general rustiness that motivated my drive to Newberg in the wee small hours last Saturday. (I am not a morning person.)
This was the 3rd time in 16 months I rode “Prairies & Wetlands;” first time was in the Fall of ’07, next was two months ago (Nov ’08), and then again last weekend. Eventually, I intend to construct a few permanents of my own. But in the meantime, most of us ride the familiar ones put together by our RBA in Newberg.
The roads are mostly agriculturally rural … not too much traffic. And in this case, not too many hills, either. Started out chatting with David Rowe a bit, and then with Cecil. But within about 15 miles, they and a handful of others were out of sight.
But John (Kramer) and Vincent (both of whom are capable of getting to the next town really quickly) opted for a more relaxed pace. They set their hammers aside and basically hung out with Lynne and me for most of the 200k. Lynne saved the three of us from a wrong turn approaching the Gallon House Bridge, we made our stop in Mt. Angel brief, and we discussed our Newberg options before checking in at the Coffee Cottage.
If I’d realized how busy the Coffee Cottage is in the middle of a Saturday afternoon, I probably would have steered us to Chapter’s Bookstore (my usual place), or to the Thriftway. But Lynne was glad for the chance to warm her feet, and John and Vincent didn’t seem to mind the wait. So why should I? After all, the espresso macchiato was excellent (the barrista took great pride in it), as was the straight-ahead coffee I chased it with.
We rode through Dayton, Lafayette, Carlton (a brief stop), Yamhill, Gaston, before stopping in Forest Grove. I got beverages at a local convenience store while Lynne, Vincent, and John hung out at Pizza Schmizza. Then it was back to towards Newberg.
I think this was the first time I cycled Springhill Road in daylight. It was my favorite part of the journey … soft fading light with all those wetlands on the right. On this road, Vincent pulled ahead, and John hung back with Lynne. Vincent missed the turn onto Old Yamhill road (and took Hwy. 240 straight into Newberg), while Lynne, John and I reconvened at that easy-to-miss turn and navigated the labyrinth of streets back into Newberg.
I passed on the post-ride meeting at Burgerville, and instead headed back to Portland for a friend’s early evening milonga (tango dance). Click here for the rest of the photos from this ride.
Sunday fixed gear 40k
The next morning, there was a thin layer of fresh snow to greet Portland. Again, it was hard to get up, but I wanted to try my new 19-tooth cog on David Auker’s Sunday morning fixie ride.
But the snow must have been dicey in David’s neighborhood (he lives in the West Hills), as he wasn’t at River City Bicycles at the appointed time.
Peter Drake was, though. I kinda know him (better than he knows me) as a fast rider whose name often appears high up in OBRA’s race results. I’ve seen him race at the Alpenrose velodrome, and at PIR. In fact, he mentors some of the novice racers during the Monday Evening Races at PIR (during the Summer).
So there we were. A Cat 1 racer, riding with me, a “Cat 7 with a bit of endurance.”
We were able to reconstruct most of David’s route (down the Springwater Corrider, through Sellwood, past Milwaukie, and back) without David. Missed a few turns, but Peter got us back on track. Met up with Kathleen (another strong racer, although I don’t know if she’s active anymore) on the return portion.
Turns out Peter’s a very pleasant person to ride and chat with. Articulate. Knows a lot about Portland. Wrenches at Northwest Bicycles on 21st Ave. I know a few of his Lakeside/Fred Meyer teammates. As with David, a chatty ride for him is a real workout for me.
Have to admit, after 150 miles of cycling, and 7 hours of tango, it wasn’t the most relaxing of weekends. But I got some of the rust off my long distance legs. And I got to hang with some fast boys.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
2008 personal cycling stats (or reaching 7000 miles the hard way)
On the morning of December 31st, there were 6968 year-to-date miles in my cycling log. Several months earlier I set a rather arbitrary goal of 7000 miles. That specific distance isn’t a big deal. (It would only be 270 more miles than last year.) I’m sure many randonneuring and/or super-commuter cyclists routinely exceed that. But to be so close. It would be a lot easier to say “I biked 7000 miles” that to say “I biked almost 7000 miles” or “I biked six thousand nine hundred eighty five miles in 2008.”
But still, I was only marginally motivated to ride the necessary 32 miles on New Years Eve day. I had to work. And on this cold and rainy day, it would double my normal commute. If I’d been more motivated, I would have gotten up an hour earlier in the dark and ridden over the Sylvan Hill. As it was, I did my normal ride-to-Gosse-Hollow-take-the-Max-to-Beaverton thing (still in the dark). By the time I arrived at work, I had 28 miles to go. And by the time I left, it was nearly dark again.
From work I headed west, bought a last-minute holiday gift at New Seasons in Cedar Hills, dropped it off at a friend’s house near Elmonica, and continued west on Baseline to about 205th St. The bike lanes were pretty sketchy (remnants of “snowzilla”), and the debris hard to see. I sought out lesser traveled streets, and ended up “taking the lane” quite a bit. I avoided Cornell, wound up behind the Evergreen Cinemas in Hillsboro, and crossed over Hwy. 26 on 185th St.
The most pleasant part of this nocturnal excursion was the meander on NW Park View Blvd. and Sommerset Dr. between 185th and West Union Rd. Traffic was minimal. The residential streets wide. When West Union turned into NW Thompson Rd, I set my sights uphill. And for the most part, the ascent up to Skyline Dr. was manageable. Most of the traffic was local and unhurried. The decent down Thompson Rd. to Cornell Rd., on the other hand, was a bit scary. Snow and gravel along the right shoulder. Wasn’t real confident of the road surface. Used my brakes a lot!
On Cornell, I took the lane through the tunnels, and appreciated the brief respite from the rain they provided. Got off Cornell at Westover, climbed, and then braked a lot into NW Portland. Stopped at Whole Foods (near Powell’s) for a few groceries and a bottle of cava with which to bring in the New Year. By the time I got home, my trip computer said 31. One mile shy of 7000 for the year. And still a tango dance to go!
After an hour-long dinner and pit stop at home, I met my friend Jeff at Staccato Gellato on NW 28th. It was here that I reached my 7000-mile goal. Jeff usually enjoys an espresso at this establishment while he waits for other cycling tango dancers, but Staccato Gellato closed early on New Years Eve, as did the nearby Starbucks. Fortunately, though, Blue Monk on SE Belmont was open, and we shared a terrific Spanish coffee before heading to Tango Berretin (on SE Foster at Holgate), where we danced in the new year.
Here are a few personal (Lynne-inspired) cycling stats from 2008:
~ Total logged miles (including commutes): 7,004
~ Rides of 100 miles or longer: 20
~ Longest (and most epic) ride: Desert River 600k (376 miles)
Randonneuring:
~ 2008 RUSA total: 4,296 km (2,669 miles)
~ Super Randonneur award
~ R-12 award
~ One DNF: stopped after 200 miles of Seattle’s “4 Passes” 600k
Cumulative odometers:
~ Mountain Cycle Stumptown: 11,996 miles
~ Ideor Asso (fixie): 4,229 miles
~ Lemond Buenos Aires: 2,572 miles
A few organized rides:
~ RACC (Ride Around Clark County)
~ Tour de Blast (Mt. St. Helens)
~ STP (Seattle to Portland)
~ RSVP (Seattle to Vancouver, BC)
Hottest ride: STP
Coldest rides: Scio Covered Bridges, & Clatskanie-Cape Dissapointment permanents
OBRA participation (Oregon Bicycle Racing Assn.)
Road races: 5
~ Cherry Pie
~ PIR (Portland Intl. Raceway): 2
~ “Rehearsal” RR, Rainier
~ Mt. Tabor (fixed gear)
Time trial: 1
~ Jack Frost TT (Vancouver, WA)
Track races (Alpenrose Velodrome): 16
~ Fast Twitch Fridays: 6
~ Masters/Juniors (Wednesdays): 7
~ Other: 3
Cyclocross: 5
~ Cross Crusade : 4
~ Heiser Farms (Dayton): 1
Happy New Year, everyone!
But still, I was only marginally motivated to ride the necessary 32 miles on New Years Eve day. I had to work. And on this cold and rainy day, it would double my normal commute. If I’d been more motivated, I would have gotten up an hour earlier in the dark and ridden over the Sylvan Hill. As it was, I did my normal ride-to-Gosse-Hollow-take-the-Max-to-Beaverton thing (still in the dark). By the time I arrived at work, I had 28 miles to go. And by the time I left, it was nearly dark again.
From work I headed west, bought a last-minute holiday gift at New Seasons in Cedar Hills, dropped it off at a friend’s house near Elmonica, and continued west on Baseline to about 205th St. The bike lanes were pretty sketchy (remnants of “snowzilla”), and the debris hard to see. I sought out lesser traveled streets, and ended up “taking the lane” quite a bit. I avoided Cornell, wound up behind the Evergreen Cinemas in Hillsboro, and crossed over Hwy. 26 on 185th St.
The most pleasant part of this nocturnal excursion was the meander on NW Park View Blvd. and Sommerset Dr. between 185th and West Union Rd. Traffic was minimal. The residential streets wide. When West Union turned into NW Thompson Rd, I set my sights uphill. And for the most part, the ascent up to Skyline Dr. was manageable. Most of the traffic was local and unhurried. The decent down Thompson Rd. to Cornell Rd., on the other hand, was a bit scary. Snow and gravel along the right shoulder. Wasn’t real confident of the road surface. Used my brakes a lot!
On Cornell, I took the lane through the tunnels, and appreciated the brief respite from the rain they provided. Got off Cornell at Westover, climbed, and then braked a lot into NW Portland. Stopped at Whole Foods (near Powell’s) for a few groceries and a bottle of cava with which to bring in the New Year. By the time I got home, my trip computer said 31. One mile shy of 7000 for the year. And still a tango dance to go!
After an hour-long dinner and pit stop at home, I met my friend Jeff at Staccato Gellato on NW 28th. It was here that I reached my 7000-mile goal. Jeff usually enjoys an espresso at this establishment while he waits for other cycling tango dancers, but Staccato Gellato closed early on New Years Eve, as did the nearby Starbucks. Fortunately, though, Blue Monk on SE Belmont was open, and we shared a terrific Spanish coffee before heading to Tango Berretin (on SE Foster at Holgate), where we danced in the new year.
Here are a few personal (Lynne-inspired) cycling stats from 2008:
~ Total logged miles (including commutes): 7,004
~ Rides of 100 miles or longer: 20
~ Longest (and most epic) ride: Desert River 600k (376 miles)
Randonneuring:
~ 2008 RUSA total: 4,296 km (2,669 miles)
~ Super Randonneur award
~ R-12 award
~ One DNF: stopped after 200 miles of Seattle’s “4 Passes” 600k
Cumulative odometers:
~ Mountain Cycle Stumptown: 11,996 miles
~ Ideor Asso (fixie): 4,229 miles
~ Lemond Buenos Aires: 2,572 miles
A few organized rides:
~ RACC (Ride Around Clark County)
~ Tour de Blast (Mt. St. Helens)
~ STP (Seattle to Portland)
~ RSVP (Seattle to Vancouver, BC)
Hottest ride: STP
Coldest rides: Scio Covered Bridges, & Clatskanie-Cape Dissapointment permanents
OBRA participation (Oregon Bicycle Racing Assn.)
Road races: 5
~ Cherry Pie
~ PIR (Portland Intl. Raceway): 2
~ “Rehearsal” RR, Rainier
~ Mt. Tabor (fixed gear)
Time trial: 1
~ Jack Frost TT (Vancouver, WA)
Track races (Alpenrose Velodrome): 16
~ Fast Twitch Fridays: 6
~ Masters/Juniors (Wednesdays): 7
~ Other: 3
Cyclocross: 5
~ Cross Crusade : 4
~ Heiser Farms (Dayton): 1
Happy New Year, everyone!
Monday, December 22, 2008
skiing to tango
I wasn’t expecting many people at Sunday’s tango practica. Temperature was in the 20’s. Snow was historical and relentless. But since the 35-minute walk in my Ice Trekkers to the Viscount Studios was doable, I opened the practica for those crazy enough come.
Imagine my surprise when Marion showed up with her skies. She was wearing enough reflective material to make a randonneur proud.
Then it was Jim. He locked his skis to the bike rack outside. Jeff, who arrived a little later (by mountain bike), wasn’t immediately recognizable cuz of his snow gear. “Come outside,” he said, “and take a picture of Jim and me with our skis and bike.”
Not to be outdone, Fred showed up a couple hours later … on skis … wearing a 3-piece suit! I think he must come directly from church.
All in all, there were 18 people who stopped by the Viscount to dance/practice some tango. Among them was Ginger (here from LeGrande), with whom I had a pleasant walk back to the 30th and Morrison neighborhood afterwards.
More pictures here.
Imagine my surprise when Marion showed up with her skies. She was wearing enough reflective material to make a randonneur proud.
Then it was Jim. He locked his skis to the bike rack outside. Jeff, who arrived a little later (by mountain bike), wasn’t immediately recognizable cuz of his snow gear. “Come outside,” he said, “and take a picture of Jim and me with our skis and bike.”
Not to be outdone, Fred showed up a couple hours later … on skis … wearing a 3-piece suit! I think he must come directly from church.
All in all, there were 18 people who stopped by the Viscount to dance/practice some tango. Among them was Ginger (here from LeGrande), with whom I had a pleasant walk back to the 30th and Morrison neighborhood afterwards.
More pictures here.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
a week of inclement car-less commuting
SNOW (along with relatively cold temperatures) arrived here in Portland last Sunday (Dec. 14). Even though fairly well-forecasted, it still seemed to catch people by surprise … probably cuz it’s officially not even winter yet.
Sunday Practica
Often, I host the Sunday Tango Practica by bicycle (particularly now since I have help with food procurement). But last Sunday, I knew attendance would be down. My teaching partner was advised not to drive down from Council Crest. The person whose turn it was to bring food declined to come in from Battleground, WA. Nonetheless, I put out an announcement that the practica was “on” for anyone who could safely get there, trusting that spare backup snacks and a little beer would be sufficient enough goodies for those who came.
I also decided to walk to the practica, a luxury that didn’t exist before I moved to SE Salmon St. I didn’t wanna drive, nor bike (cycling looked potentially dicey). So it walked to the Viscount Studios on East Burnside. It took 35 minutes. Not bad.
A critical mass of people showed up … eight for the class … and 20 more during the practica itself. Intrepid biker-tango couple (Jeff & Yifang) rode to the practica on their xtracycle. (Jeff’s spent considerable time in cold climates, and wasn’t too phased by Sunday’s storm.)
Weekdays to Beaverton & back
The biggest storm-related challenges, though (and their resulting scheduling problems) were yet to come. I needed to get to Beaverton by 7:30 Monday morning. And I didn’t wanna drive. (Too late to buy chains anyway.) Nor did I wanna bike. So, I walked to the bus, took it downtown to the Max, which I rode in turn to Beaverton. With all the connections and waits, it took 1 hour 40 minutes, and required a 5:40 AM departure from home.
I keep a bicycle at work for those days I don’t cycle-commute. This allows me to pedal on errands (and to campus) on those particular days. So on Monday evening (the 15th), I rode my Surly (a 29’er with ‘cross tires) home.
I elected to return to work Tuesday morning via bicycle. Even though I started timidly (Salmon St. was slick), I fell down within a block or so of my place. (My hip’s still a bit sore.) But I managed the Hawthorne Bridge and downtown well enough, and actually enjoyed the ride through Beaverton Town Center and Griffith Park at the other end. But the sting of the morning’s fall was still present when I it was time to go home. So I walked home that evening.
This turned out to be the pattern for most of the week. Walk one direction. Alternately ride the other. I ended up with 5 trips using the bike, and 5 trips on foot.
Thursday evening (the 18th), I elected to ride home over Sylvan Hill. ‘Twas kinda spontaneous. When going up 110th Avenue north of Kohl’s, I was faced with the decision to either turn left towards Center Street and the Beaverton Transit Center, or continue riding across Walker, up past Lynne’s home, to the Hwy 26 bike path. I did the latter.
Past Walker, the road surfaces immediately changed, both in color and texture. I actually dismounted and walked on a hilly section of 107th. And I again walked the steep descending part of Melnore St. before Scenic Drive. Surprising, though, I was able to stay in the saddle ascending Knollcrest (leaned back on the rear wheel), and later on during the steep part of Pointer Rd (just before the freeway crossing to the cemetery). The color of all these residential roads north of Walker was white…and the texture crusty. It was like a very thin fresh layer of snow over older chunky stuff.
The descents on those funky surfaces inspired little confidence. So after coming down from the Sylvan overpass to the Zoo, I chose the Max for the rest of the journey downtown. No zoobombing. No descents down Hwy 26 to Goose Hollow. In downtown, it was lightly snowing, as it was in SE (which made it a pleasant and unhurried ride home.)
On Friday morning, Salmon St. didn’t look two-wheel friendly. And since my work bike was now home, I walked…both ways. In the morning I had opportunity to try out an new set of Ice Trekker shoe spikes, which worked great. They actually allowed me to jog to a waiting bus.
One outcome of this week is that I ordered studded snow tires … to arrive Monday. If they work half as well as the Ice Trekker shoe spikes, they’ll be a good investment. They do betray, however, a rather skewed sense of priorities. I have no traction devices for my car (and therefore haven't driven in a while), but I will soon for my bike.
Sunday Practica
Often, I host the Sunday Tango Practica by bicycle (particularly now since I have help with food procurement). But last Sunday, I knew attendance would be down. My teaching partner was advised not to drive down from Council Crest. The person whose turn it was to bring food declined to come in from Battleground, WA. Nonetheless, I put out an announcement that the practica was “on” for anyone who could safely get there, trusting that spare backup snacks and a little beer would be sufficient enough goodies for those who came.
I also decided to walk to the practica, a luxury that didn’t exist before I moved to SE Salmon St. I didn’t wanna drive, nor bike (cycling looked potentially dicey). So it walked to the Viscount Studios on East Burnside. It took 35 minutes. Not bad.
A critical mass of people showed up … eight for the class … and 20 more during the practica itself. Intrepid biker-tango couple (Jeff & Yifang) rode to the practica on their xtracycle. (Jeff’s spent considerable time in cold climates, and wasn’t too phased by Sunday’s storm.)
Weekdays to Beaverton & back
The biggest storm-related challenges, though (and their resulting scheduling problems) were yet to come. I needed to get to Beaverton by 7:30 Monday morning. And I didn’t wanna drive. (Too late to buy chains anyway.) Nor did I wanna bike. So, I walked to the bus, took it downtown to the Max, which I rode in turn to Beaverton. With all the connections and waits, it took 1 hour 40 minutes, and required a 5:40 AM departure from home.
I keep a bicycle at work for those days I don’t cycle-commute. This allows me to pedal on errands (and to campus) on those particular days. So on Monday evening (the 15th), I rode my Surly (a 29’er with ‘cross tires) home.
(Well, I rode it to the Beaverton Max Station, and then again from downtown homeward…a total of only 4.2 miles.) The ride(s) were pleasant enough. Not too much traffic. Spun the rear wheel a bit coming up slightly slick SE Salmon St [try saying that multiple times fast], but it wasn’t unmanageable.
I elected to return to work Tuesday morning via bicycle. Even though I started timidly (Salmon St. was slick), I fell down within a block or so of my place. (My hip’s still a bit sore.) But I managed the Hawthorne Bridge and downtown well enough, and actually enjoyed the ride through Beaverton Town Center and Griffith Park at the other end. But the sting of the morning’s fall was still present when I it was time to go home. So I walked home that evening.
This turned out to be the pattern for most of the week. Walk one direction. Alternately ride the other. I ended up with 5 trips using the bike, and 5 trips on foot.
Thursday evening (the 18th), I elected to ride home over Sylvan Hill. ‘Twas kinda spontaneous. When going up 110th Avenue north of Kohl’s, I was faced with the decision to either turn left towards Center Street and the Beaverton Transit Center, or continue riding across Walker, up past Lynne’s home, to the Hwy 26 bike path. I did the latter.
Past Walker, the road surfaces immediately changed, both in color and texture. I actually dismounted and walked on a hilly section of 107th. And I again walked the steep descending part of Melnore St. before Scenic Drive. Surprising, though, I was able to stay in the saddle ascending Knollcrest (leaned back on the rear wheel), and later on during the steep part of Pointer Rd (just before the freeway crossing to the cemetery). The color of all these residential roads north of Walker was white…and the texture crusty. It was like a very thin fresh layer of snow over older chunky stuff.
The descents on those funky surfaces inspired little confidence. So after coming down from the Sylvan overpass to the Zoo, I chose the Max for the rest of the journey downtown. No zoobombing. No descents down Hwy 26 to Goose Hollow. In downtown, it was lightly snowing, as it was in SE (which made it a pleasant and unhurried ride home.)
On Friday morning, Salmon St. didn’t look two-wheel friendly. And since my work bike was now home, I walked…both ways. In the morning I had opportunity to try out an new set of Ice Trekker shoe spikes, which worked great. They actually allowed me to jog to a waiting bus.
One outcome of this week is that I ordered studded snow tires … to arrive Monday. If they work half as well as the Ice Trekker shoe spikes, they’ll be a good investment. They do betray, however, a rather skewed sense of priorities. I have no traction devices for my car (and therefore haven't driven in a while), but I will soon for my bike.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
R-12 Complete! … a story of fragile knees, bike fittings, orthodics (finally!), & eventual success
Last January, I started working on an R-12 without even knowing it. Cecil and Lynne announced they were gonna ride the Scio Covered Bridges permanent that month, and then I figured that would be a good mid-winter challenge.
And an interesting challenge this R-12 thing has been (as is randonneuring in general). The whole experience, like my knees, feels fragile. In addition to a less-than-strong “motor,” (especially in relation to my weight), I kept having to baby my legs, careful not to stand in the pedals too much. Initially (several years ago), bicycling was prescribed as therapy for knee problems that materialized when I tried to train for a marathon. Nowadays, I sometimes need treatments to address bicycle-related soreness.
The R-12 could have gone by the wayside many times this year. I was a flat away from not completing the Clatskanie-Cape Disappointment permanent last February. A new saddle kept me sore and slow during Seattle’s Chili-feed 200k in March. I was the last finisher in every 300k I entered (one in April and two in August), and came in 8 minutes under the deadline in Seattle’s “3 Passes” 400k. (Thanks to organizer Brian Ohlemeier for sticking around till 8:00 AM on that May Sunday morning!)
Clearly, by the time September rolled around, I was committed to completing an R-12. But I was less than confident about finishing the “Desert Rivers” 600k scheduled later that month. So I rode an “insurance” 200k (the Skyline-Vernonia permanent) on Labor Day (along with Cecil and Joshua). Even on that ride, my knee problems flared up, which furthered my lack of expectations about being able to finish a 600k three weeks later. So I adjusted my goal … it became to do some riding on day 2 (something I was unable to do on my first two attempts at that distance).
I was discouraged enough on Labor Day to schedule another visit to a bike fitter. So I tried River City (the shop that sold me my LeMond). The fitter there (Dani) used a different approach than I had experienced before … namely … the use of inserts in the shoes!! Of course, she did all sorts of other cool measurements (I had to lie down on the treatment table for some of them) and adjustments (like shortening the stem). But the inserts were major. They allowed my knees (especially the right one) to travel in a relatively more vertical plane. They also allowed me stand up in the pedals more … and challenge the epic headwinds during the 2nd day of the “Desert Rivers” 600k.
Don’t think I had yet recovered from the 600k enough to ride October’s Bingen Bikenfest 200k very fast; I was still slower than the previous year. And inclement weather kept speeds down during the “Prairies & Wetlands” permanent on Veterans Day. But after some more bike-fitting refinements from Dani (on my fendered cross bike) and a steady stream of commutes over the Sylvan Hill, I started feeling more optimistic about my legs and knees. Maybe this R-12 thing would actually happen!
And last Saturday, December 6th, it did!
Nine of us cyclists showed up in Newberg by 7:30 AM. The first job at hand (after checking in at the Thriftway) was to get Highways 99 and 18 to Dayton over with. Eight of us regrouped in Dayton. (Kevin had fallen behind with the first of many flats.) We settled into our own paces (except perhaps for Washingtonian speedsters Kramer and Vincent, who seemed quite happy to ride with the rest of us for much of the permanent).
I rode with Lynne most of the way to Dallas, with much of our conversation centering around handmade bikes and equipment. It became apparent how little capacity I have for some details (like the model names of different Schmidt hubs).
I met up with Sal at the Safeway/Starbucks in Dallas. That is the most uber-friendly coffee dispensary I’ve ever been to. The proprietor sent someone out to guard Sal’s and my bikes while we shopped or went to the restroom and then ordered espresso drinks.
Sal and I met up with Lynne as we left Dallas, and I followed them for the next half hour or so. My favortie line of the day came from Sal when he was talking about his PBP experience: "There are old French women there on beater bikes who'll whoop your ass!" Oh boy, something to look forward to in 2011.
North of Rickreal, I got a “first wind”, and took off through Amity, leaving Sal and Lynne to a more chatty pace. I caught up with Cecil near Dayton (she had just finished a roadside sandwich), and then again strove to get Highways 18 and 99 over with quickly. (Cecil’s technique.)
Most of us regrouped at the Thriftway in Newberg. ‘Twas interesting to see how content John and Vincent were to hang out there with the rest of us … not the customary hurried demeanor of faster randonneurs.
The group met up with John Henry and Joanne (and their beefy Cannondale tandem) as we departed Newberg. We separated a bit somewhere along French Prairie Rd, and I ended up tagging along with John and Vincent to Gervais. The two of them promptly pulled ahead leaving Gervais, as I settled in to a customary slower pace.
In Mt. Angel, I beelined to the local public restroom, checked in at the US Bank ATM, and decided to take off right away back towards Newberg … for two reasons:
1. I wasn’t hungry (yet)
2. I wanted to maintain a more “relaxed” pace, something that would be harder if I left with everyone else.
I fully expected to be passed in Gervais, as that’s where I ended up eating, and adding layers of clothing. But it wasn’t till 10 miles later (on Arbor Grove Road) that John Henry, Joanne, Kramer, and later Vincent passed me. John Henry and Joanne pulled the train back into Newberg. Amazingly, I was able to more-or-less stay attached. We arrived at the Coffee Cottage in Newberg at 7:50 PM, 10 hours and 20 minutes after our morning departure.
Shortly afterwards, Cecil did her customary check-in at Nap's Thriftway, as did Lynne and Sal a little bit later.
Unfortunately, the speedy Washingtonians (Kramer and Vincent) had to head straight back home. The rest of us (plus Kevin, who ended up riding 100+ miles despite 5 flats) repaired to the Newberg Burgerville, where we celebrated our successful R-12’s over sweet potato fries, milk shakes or hot chocolate, and some other non-customary food items.
Weather was most excellent, even though the temperature was a bit nippy initially. All in all, a fine and encouraging ride with good and interesting people. For what more could one ask?
Cecil's blog
Lynne's blog
Vincent's blog
Kramer's blog (includes video)
my pics
And an interesting challenge this R-12 thing has been (as is randonneuring in general). The whole experience, like my knees, feels fragile. In addition to a less-than-strong “motor,” (especially in relation to my weight), I kept having to baby my legs, careful not to stand in the pedals too much. Initially (several years ago), bicycling was prescribed as therapy for knee problems that materialized when I tried to train for a marathon. Nowadays, I sometimes need treatments to address bicycle-related soreness.
The R-12 could have gone by the wayside many times this year. I was a flat away from not completing the Clatskanie-Cape Disappointment permanent last February. A new saddle kept me sore and slow during Seattle’s Chili-feed 200k in March. I was the last finisher in every 300k I entered (one in April and two in August), and came in 8 minutes under the deadline in Seattle’s “3 Passes” 400k. (Thanks to organizer Brian Ohlemeier for sticking around till 8:00 AM on that May Sunday morning!)
Clearly, by the time September rolled around, I was committed to completing an R-12. But I was less than confident about finishing the “Desert Rivers” 600k scheduled later that month. So I rode an “insurance” 200k (the Skyline-Vernonia permanent) on Labor Day (along with Cecil and Joshua). Even on that ride, my knee problems flared up, which furthered my lack of expectations about being able to finish a 600k three weeks later. So I adjusted my goal … it became to do some riding on day 2 (something I was unable to do on my first two attempts at that distance).
I was discouraged enough on Labor Day to schedule another visit to a bike fitter. So I tried River City (the shop that sold me my LeMond). The fitter there (Dani) used a different approach than I had experienced before … namely … the use of inserts in the shoes!! Of course, she did all sorts of other cool measurements (I had to lie down on the treatment table for some of them) and adjustments (like shortening the stem). But the inserts were major. They allowed my knees (especially the right one) to travel in a relatively more vertical plane. They also allowed me stand up in the pedals more … and challenge the epic headwinds during the 2nd day of the “Desert Rivers” 600k.
Don’t think I had yet recovered from the 600k enough to ride October’s Bingen Bikenfest 200k very fast; I was still slower than the previous year. And inclement weather kept speeds down during the “Prairies & Wetlands” permanent on Veterans Day. But after some more bike-fitting refinements from Dani (on my fendered cross bike) and a steady stream of commutes over the Sylvan Hill, I started feeling more optimistic about my legs and knees. Maybe this R-12 thing would actually happen!
And last Saturday, December 6th, it did!
Nine of us cyclists showed up in Newberg by 7:30 AM. The first job at hand (after checking in at the Thriftway) was to get Highways 99 and 18 to Dayton over with. Eight of us regrouped in Dayton. (Kevin had fallen behind with the first of many flats.) We settled into our own paces (except perhaps for Washingtonian speedsters Kramer and Vincent, who seemed quite happy to ride with the rest of us for much of the permanent).
I rode with Lynne most of the way to Dallas, with much of our conversation centering around handmade bikes and equipment. It became apparent how little capacity I have for some details (like the model names of different Schmidt hubs).
I met up with Sal at the Safeway/Starbucks in Dallas. That is the most uber-friendly coffee dispensary I’ve ever been to. The proprietor sent someone out to guard Sal’s and my bikes while we shopped or went to the restroom and then ordered espresso drinks.
Sal and I met up with Lynne as we left Dallas, and I followed them for the next half hour or so. My favortie line of the day came from Sal when he was talking about his PBP experience: "There are old French women there on beater bikes who'll whoop your ass!" Oh boy, something to look forward to in 2011.
North of Rickreal, I got a “first wind”, and took off through Amity, leaving Sal and Lynne to a more chatty pace. I caught up with Cecil near Dayton (she had just finished a roadside sandwich), and then again strove to get Highways 18 and 99 over with quickly. (Cecil’s technique.)
Most of us regrouped at the Thriftway in Newberg. ‘Twas interesting to see how content John and Vincent were to hang out there with the rest of us … not the customary hurried demeanor of faster randonneurs.
The group met up with John Henry and Joanne (and their beefy Cannondale tandem) as we departed Newberg. We separated a bit somewhere along French Prairie Rd, and I ended up tagging along with John and Vincent to Gervais. The two of them promptly pulled ahead leaving Gervais, as I settled in to a customary slower pace.
In Mt. Angel, I beelined to the local public restroom, checked in at the US Bank ATM, and decided to take off right away back towards Newberg … for two reasons:
1. I wasn’t hungry (yet)
2. I wanted to maintain a more “relaxed” pace, something that would be harder if I left with everyone else.
I fully expected to be passed in Gervais, as that’s where I ended up eating, and adding layers of clothing. But it wasn’t till 10 miles later (on Arbor Grove Road) that John Henry, Joanne, Kramer, and later Vincent passed me. John Henry and Joanne pulled the train back into Newberg. Amazingly, I was able to more-or-less stay attached. We arrived at the Coffee Cottage in Newberg at 7:50 PM, 10 hours and 20 minutes after our morning departure.
Shortly afterwards, Cecil did her customary check-in at Nap's Thriftway, as did Lynne and Sal a little bit later.
Unfortunately, the speedy Washingtonians (Kramer and Vincent) had to head straight back home. The rest of us (plus Kevin, who ended up riding 100+ miles despite 5 flats) repaired to the Newberg Burgerville, where we celebrated our successful R-12’s over sweet potato fries, milk shakes or hot chocolate, and some other non-customary food items.
Weather was most excellent, even though the temperature was a bit nippy initially. All in all, a fine and encouraging ride with good and interesting people. For what more could one ask?
Cecil's blog
Lynne's blog
Vincent's blog
Kramer's blog (includes video)
my pics
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving day fixie ride...
Even though David Auker's "chatty" pace is quite a workout for me, I still look forward to what has become his annual Thanksgiving fixie ride through the West Hills of Portland.
I don't know how long he's done it. My first Thanksgiving fixie ride was two years ago, where he and friends did his "traditional" route from River City Bicycles South through Milwaukie and back. (photo from Nov. 2007 above)
But last year, he and his wife Sarah started a "new" tradition of starting from his home near Dosch and Hamilton in SW Portland, and feeding everyone beforehand.
This year, though, I've been riding my fixed-gear bike a lot less. Ever since I moved to the SE part of Portland 6 months ago, I've been favoring geared bikes, particularly in commuting over the Sylvan Hill between Beaverton and home. Between that and randonneuring, my fixie's sat largely unused since last May.
And hills on a fixed gear bike are tougher than ever. Nevertheless, I more-or-less stayed up with David and friends. The group got separated around Sunset and SW 18th, but regrouped after a couple laps around the Fairmount loop.
As the group approached Patton Rd, my left shoe-pedal connection started to feel sloppy, but it never occurred to me the screws were about to completely come out. By the time I reached Hewett Blvd, the cleat had totally detached itself from my shoe.
It's hard to remove a cleat from a pedal when it's not attached to a shoe. My small Crank Brothers multi-tool didn't seem up to the task, until in the hands of passerby Lonnie (of Portland Velo).
John Forbes, and later David, were already returning back homewards on Hewett Blvd. when I finally got rolling. I continued over to Fairview, through Washington Park, and downtown. Started to rain by the time I crossed the Steel Bridge and returned home. Total distance: 35.5 miles.
a few more photos
I don't know how long he's done it. My first Thanksgiving fixie ride was two years ago, where he and friends did his "traditional" route from River City Bicycles South through Milwaukie and back. (photo from Nov. 2007 above)
But last year, he and his wife Sarah started a "new" tradition of starting from his home near Dosch and Hamilton in SW Portland, and feeding everyone beforehand.
This year, though, I've been riding my fixed-gear bike a lot less. Ever since I moved to the SE part of Portland 6 months ago, I've been favoring geared bikes, particularly in commuting over the Sylvan Hill between Beaverton and home. Between that and randonneuring, my fixie's sat largely unused since last May.
And hills on a fixed gear bike are tougher than ever. Nevertheless, I more-or-less stayed up with David and friends. The group got separated around Sunset and SW 18th, but regrouped after a couple laps around the Fairmount loop.
As the group approached Patton Rd, my left shoe-pedal connection started to feel sloppy, but it never occurred to me the screws were about to completely come out. By the time I reached Hewett Blvd, the cleat had totally detached itself from my shoe.
It's hard to remove a cleat from a pedal when it's not attached to a shoe. My small Crank Brothers multi-tool didn't seem up to the task, until in the hands of passerby Lonnie (of Portland Velo).
John Forbes, and later David, were already returning back homewards on Hewett Blvd. when I finally got rolling. I continued over to Fairview, through Washington Park, and downtown. Started to rain by the time I crossed the Steel Bridge and returned home. Total distance: 35.5 miles.
a few more photos
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
hiccups from hell
It's never happened before ... at least nothing close to this extent. Seven hours of hiccups! Started 'round noon yesterday, and they got "stronger" (complete with reverberations) throughout the afternoon and early evening. Made the commute home tedious. I elected to take the Max part way rather than cycle over the Sylvan Hill. 'Twas also accompanied by chills and mild sore throat.
The hiccups didn't abate till 7:00 PM. I went straight to bed ... didn't pass "Go," didn't collect anything to eat ... barely got my clothes off. Consulted Scott and Joy on the phone, each of them coming back with doctor recommendations.
Glad it's over. I called in sick from work today.
The hiccups didn't abate till 7:00 PM. I went straight to bed ... didn't pass "Go," didn't collect anything to eat ... barely got my clothes off. Consulted Scott and Joy on the phone, each of them coming back with doctor recommendations.
Glad it's over. I called in sick from work today.
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