Thursday, December 6, 2012
I am back
I am back. Actually, I never left. I, like many of you, have been busy. Busy working, busy living, hunting, and riding. Winter is settling in, so the cycling efforts are mostly indoors now. I take a wonderful spin class at my LBS, led by an actual bike racer. I call him Satan, but he is also called Patrick. Tuesdays and Thursdays, all hell all the time....
I have had a lot of great rides, the 840 Grand Fondo, among them, was my most recent travel oriented affair. Rode with some awesome pro's there, brought in courtesy of Nissan, one of main sponsors of the event.
Monday, June 27, 2011
weekend riding
Ok, so it was a very uneventful weekend of riding. I rode 34 miles on Saturday, in the mid-afternoon. Not a shout, nothing. I am not complaining. Any day like that is a very good one indeed. It is as it should be. Cars and bikes co-existing seamlessly on the roads.
On Sunday I did the same 34 mile loop, but I did it twice. Aside from one driver crowding me as he passed by, again, uneventful.
They opened a Performance Bike shop near my house, and this weekend was the big sale and grand opening. Went there with Megumi. Not impressed. The selection was only passable. I expected better. Went there looking for Sidi Ergo 2 shoes, but they had none in the shop, online only. Went there for base layers (J swears by them), none in the shop, only online.
The did have a decent selection of energy items, and the sale pricing made them "remarkable" deals. So we picked up a box of Vanilla Bean Gu, and a box of mixed Gu products, including the new flavor of Roctane, Chocolate Raspberry. I will report on that when I use it.
That's about it.
Safe travels today.
On Sunday I did the same 34 mile loop, but I did it twice. Aside from one driver crowding me as he passed by, again, uneventful.
They opened a Performance Bike shop near my house, and this weekend was the big sale and grand opening. Went there with Megumi. Not impressed. The selection was only passable. I expected better. Went there looking for Sidi Ergo 2 shoes, but they had none in the shop, online only. Went there for base layers (J swears by them), none in the shop, only online.
The did have a decent selection of energy items, and the sale pricing made them "remarkable" deals. So we picked up a box of Vanilla Bean Gu, and a box of mixed Gu products, including the new flavor of Roctane, Chocolate Raspberry. I will report on that when I use it.
That's about it.
Safe travels today.
Monday, June 20, 2011
I've Turned Pro
I've turned pro. Or, at least it seems that way. After 2 straight weekends of riding with members of Team Radio Shack/Nissan, no one can doubt my newly established bike cred.
Let's rewind to the first weekend in June. With Nissan as the title sponsor for the Michigan Tour De Cure, a VIP ride for the top fundraisers is arranged for June 4 in Chelsea, Mi. As a special bonus, 2 Team Radio Shack/Nissan riders are going to attend the event. And who were the honored guests? None other than Chris Horner and Levi Leipheimer, fresh off their 1 - 2 finish at the recent Tour of California.
Levi arrived in Ann Arbor on Friday, a day before the event. He had said he wanted to ride once he arrived. It was my friend, and riding partner, J. Schaffer's idea to scout a nice route out. We found one along Huron River Drive on Thursday night. It was a nice route with low traffic volumes that flowed beside the Huron River. The out and back would cover just over 20 miles.
We assembled in the hotel lobby, kits on and bikes ready. After a brief discussion, we set off, 5 riders in a relaxed group. After some dicey maneuvering though the traffic in downtown Ann Arbor, which Levi lead us through as if he'd led the route a hundred times, we found our way onto Huron River Drive. The traffic thinned, the tarmac, save for one very bumpy stretch at the start (which comes into play on the return) was clean and smooth.
We are not sure where the slight took place, or whether there was one. Perhaps Levi was tuning up for his dominating Tour De Suisse TT, but what started out as a comfortable pace suddenly became a very quick tempo. Levi was out front, and cared not about the carnage he was unleashing in the small peloton trailing in his wake.
It was less of a pace line than a Levi line. I don't think anyone dared take a turn on the front for fear that the reaction from Levi would be swift, and without mercy.
On and on we went, at a pace higher than I am uses to. Out past the metro parks and on a little further, until Levi decided it was time to turn around and head back, we had dinner reservations afterall. So madly back we went, only now there was a wind gusting occasionally.
By now I was actually feeling good about my riding. I was hanging in there. Up the small hill, down the other side. 14 miles, 15 miles, hell I can do this, I thought. J and I were floating along, and still managing a nice conversation. 16 miles, 17 miles, 18 miles....
And that is when "it" happened. At the exact time we hit that rough patch of road, a strong gust of wind blasted us for just the smallest moment. That was all it took, a small gap opened between J and I and the other 3 riders. The gap opened, and try as we might, we could not close it. We would not be together as a group again until we met for a quick coffee at Zingermans.
The following day was the VIP ride for the Tour De Cure in Michigan. Chris Horner had arrived while were out for the Friday ride, and joined Levi as the special guests of the event. The 2 of them were fantastic, and gracious, and made everyone feel relaxed. The event offered 20 mile, 44 mile, and 75 mile options, with a single rest stop that everyone could use before the splits.
Levi and Chris sat in the rest area, answering questions, signing autographs, posing for photos, and generally just being themselves; genuine, real, approachable people.
The 2 of them rode the 44 mile option. Levi had a plane to Switzerland (HUGE CONGRATS!!!), Chris back for TDF training. J and I tackled the 75 miler, which only 5 other riders did.
It was a great weekend of riding. J and I rode Thursday night, twice on Friday, the main event on Saturday, and a recovery ride on Sunday.
The following weekend, June 11, was the Harpeth River Ride in Nashville, Tn. I did this ride last year with J., and it was amazing. Last year Nissan brought in 3 pros, Chechu Rubiera, Bjorn Selander, and Mathew Buche.
This years line up had Ben King, Bjorn (he liked it so much he came back), and as a very special guest, Lance Armstrong.
I arrived in Nashville Thursday night, and had a drinks and a nice dinner with J. We talked about the weekend, and that with all the swirl around Lance, there would probably be little opportunity, other than the ride on Saturday, where we would start in the VIP group.
In the celebrity world, plans are, shall we say, fluid. Just as I was settling in for an easy Friday, J informed me that "Lance wants to ride". My marching orders were to assemble various items for the group, there would be 6 of us, and proceed to the hotel at 1pm. I was, under no conditions, "to look like you are loitering". I am not sure how I will do that, but I vowed to do my best. We would depart at 130 for an hour and a half or so.
I arrive as instructed, but J intercepts me in the lobby, whisking me off to a room on the 7th floor. I guess my potential to look like a loiterer was just too high to risk. We get kitted up, and proceed to the lobby.
We gather, and Lance joins our group. It is oddly calm, as we go about pumping tires, making intro's and small talk. I am nervous. I am not sure what to say, but I fumble along. J is engaged, Lance knows him. I am just there, and perfectly fine with it.
After a few ker-fluffles, and a fast trip to a nearby bike store, we set off. Lance is anonymous on the road. For all anyone knows, he is just another rider in our group. As we ride, I was secretly hoping that some yahoo would roll past us yelling "go Lance" like they do to me when I ride in Michigan. The joke being that we REALLY had Lance with us.
Almost immediately, Lance is unhappy with the shifting of his bike. We stop, he plays with it, and we start again. Still unhappy, we pull safely off to the side of the road, and he sets to fixing it in earnest. He produces a small Leatherman tool from his saddle bag, and starts completely re-adjusting his rear deraileur. I stand next to him, holding his bike steady as he works. The scene strikes me as funny. Here is the most famous cyclist on the planet, sitting on his ass in the street fixing his bike. And I am holding his bike. J documents the rare moment with his camera.
Unlike the terrorizing Levi ride of a week before, this ride was very relaxed and enjoyable. Lance was terrific; friendly and very funny.
We did a nice out and back for about 2 hours, including the stop time. On the way back, we made an impromptu stop over at Nissan HQ to see how the preparations were carrying on for the next days event. People were there, enjoying the amazing Nissan displays, or picking up their packets. It was here that celebrity chaos commenced.
No one knew that Lance would be stopping in, but word spread like wild fire, and what started out as a small, manageable crowd was swelling fast. Lance was so gracious with each person. I wondered how he could handle this, day in and day out. He signed as much as he could, and posed for many pictures, always a smile and a warm word for a total stranger. In short order, the plug was pulled before things got totally of hand, but Lance did it all so seamlessly.
The next morning we met for a small pre-event breakfast with Lance, Ben King, Bjorn Selander, and other key people. I am not a key person, just a lucky one.
The final thing: During the early part of the ride, the lead State Police car went the wrong way, Lance and the first few riders, myself included, followed. Within moments the error was realized. There was Lance, followed by Bjorn, Ben and me swing a U-turn. Lance led us through a yard, onto the lawn, between 2 houses, through the backyards, and back on to the correct road. I laughed, because it was so much like the time in the TDF when Lance went off roading to avoid a crash. I wish I had a picture of it, or better, I wish I could have heard what the people in the homes might have said. "Damn, I just saw Lance Armstrong ride though our yard...." "Sure you did honey, have another beer...."
Safe travels today...
Let's rewind to the first weekend in June. With Nissan as the title sponsor for the Michigan Tour De Cure, a VIP ride for the top fundraisers is arranged for June 4 in Chelsea, Mi. As a special bonus, 2 Team Radio Shack/Nissan riders are going to attend the event. And who were the honored guests? None other than Chris Horner and Levi Leipheimer, fresh off their 1 - 2 finish at the recent Tour of California.
Levi arrived in Ann Arbor on Friday, a day before the event. He had said he wanted to ride once he arrived. It was my friend, and riding partner, J. Schaffer's idea to scout a nice route out. We found one along Huron River Drive on Thursday night. It was a nice route with low traffic volumes that flowed beside the Huron River. The out and back would cover just over 20 miles.
We assembled in the hotel lobby, kits on and bikes ready. After a brief discussion, we set off, 5 riders in a relaxed group. After some dicey maneuvering though the traffic in downtown Ann Arbor, which Levi lead us through as if he'd led the route a hundred times, we found our way onto Huron River Drive. The traffic thinned, the tarmac, save for one very bumpy stretch at the start (which comes into play on the return) was clean and smooth.
We are not sure where the slight took place, or whether there was one. Perhaps Levi was tuning up for his dominating Tour De Suisse TT, but what started out as a comfortable pace suddenly became a very quick tempo. Levi was out front, and cared not about the carnage he was unleashing in the small peloton trailing in his wake.
It was less of a pace line than a Levi line. I don't think anyone dared take a turn on the front for fear that the reaction from Levi would be swift, and without mercy.
On and on we went, at a pace higher than I am uses to. Out past the metro parks and on a little further, until Levi decided it was time to turn around and head back, we had dinner reservations afterall. So madly back we went, only now there was a wind gusting occasionally.
By now I was actually feeling good about my riding. I was hanging in there. Up the small hill, down the other side. 14 miles, 15 miles, hell I can do this, I thought. J and I were floating along, and still managing a nice conversation. 16 miles, 17 miles, 18 miles....
And that is when "it" happened. At the exact time we hit that rough patch of road, a strong gust of wind blasted us for just the smallest moment. That was all it took, a small gap opened between J and I and the other 3 riders. The gap opened, and try as we might, we could not close it. We would not be together as a group again until we met for a quick coffee at Zingermans.
The following day was the VIP ride for the Tour De Cure in Michigan. Chris Horner had arrived while were out for the Friday ride, and joined Levi as the special guests of the event. The 2 of them were fantastic, and gracious, and made everyone feel relaxed. The event offered 20 mile, 44 mile, and 75 mile options, with a single rest stop that everyone could use before the splits.
Levi and Chris sat in the rest area, answering questions, signing autographs, posing for photos, and generally just being themselves; genuine, real, approachable people.
The 2 of them rode the 44 mile option. Levi had a plane to Switzerland (HUGE CONGRATS!!!), Chris back for TDF training. J and I tackled the 75 miler, which only 5 other riders did.
It was a great weekend of riding. J and I rode Thursday night, twice on Friday, the main event on Saturday, and a recovery ride on Sunday.
The following weekend, June 11, was the Harpeth River Ride in Nashville, Tn. I did this ride last year with J., and it was amazing. Last year Nissan brought in 3 pros, Chechu Rubiera, Bjorn Selander, and Mathew Buche.
This years line up had Ben King, Bjorn (he liked it so much he came back), and as a very special guest, Lance Armstrong.
I arrived in Nashville Thursday night, and had a drinks and a nice dinner with J. We talked about the weekend, and that with all the swirl around Lance, there would probably be little opportunity, other than the ride on Saturday, where we would start in the VIP group.
In the celebrity world, plans are, shall we say, fluid. Just as I was settling in for an easy Friday, J informed me that "Lance wants to ride". My marching orders were to assemble various items for the group, there would be 6 of us, and proceed to the hotel at 1pm. I was, under no conditions, "to look like you are loitering". I am not sure how I will do that, but I vowed to do my best. We would depart at 130 for an hour and a half or so.
I arrive as instructed, but J intercepts me in the lobby, whisking me off to a room on the 7th floor. I guess my potential to look like a loiterer was just too high to risk. We get kitted up, and proceed to the lobby.
We gather, and Lance joins our group. It is oddly calm, as we go about pumping tires, making intro's and small talk. I am nervous. I am not sure what to say, but I fumble along. J is engaged, Lance knows him. I am just there, and perfectly fine with it.
After a few ker-fluffles, and a fast trip to a nearby bike store, we set off. Lance is anonymous on the road. For all anyone knows, he is just another rider in our group. As we ride, I was secretly hoping that some yahoo would roll past us yelling "go Lance" like they do to me when I ride in Michigan. The joke being that we REALLY had Lance with us.
Almost immediately, Lance is unhappy with the shifting of his bike. We stop, he plays with it, and we start again. Still unhappy, we pull safely off to the side of the road, and he sets to fixing it in earnest. He produces a small Leatherman tool from his saddle bag, and starts completely re-adjusting his rear deraileur. I stand next to him, holding his bike steady as he works. The scene strikes me as funny. Here is the most famous cyclist on the planet, sitting on his ass in the street fixing his bike. And I am holding his bike. J documents the rare moment with his camera.
Unlike the terrorizing Levi ride of a week before, this ride was very relaxed and enjoyable. Lance was terrific; friendly and very funny.
We did a nice out and back for about 2 hours, including the stop time. On the way back, we made an impromptu stop over at Nissan HQ to see how the preparations were carrying on for the next days event. People were there, enjoying the amazing Nissan displays, or picking up their packets. It was here that celebrity chaos commenced.
No one knew that Lance would be stopping in, but word spread like wild fire, and what started out as a small, manageable crowd was swelling fast. Lance was so gracious with each person. I wondered how he could handle this, day in and day out. He signed as much as he could, and posed for many pictures, always a smile and a warm word for a total stranger. In short order, the plug was pulled before things got totally of hand, but Lance did it all so seamlessly.
The next morning we met for a small pre-event breakfast with Lance, Ben King, Bjorn Selander, and other key people. I am not a key person, just a lucky one.
The final thing: During the early part of the ride, the lead State Police car went the wrong way, Lance and the first few riders, myself included, followed. Within moments the error was realized. There was Lance, followed by Bjorn, Ben and me swing a U-turn. Lance led us through a yard, onto the lawn, between 2 houses, through the backyards, and back on to the correct road. I laughed, because it was so much like the time in the TDF when Lance went off roading to avoid a crash. I wish I had a picture of it, or better, I wish I could have heard what the people in the homes might have said. "Damn, I just saw Lance Armstrong ride though our yard...." "Sure you did honey, have another beer...."
Safe travels today...
Friday, May 6, 2011
It Must Be The Gas Prices
It must be the gas prices. That is all I can guess. The ride season has only just begun, but the drivers are in mid-summer form already. So easily agitated, so quick to yell with flavorful language. People are edgy already, and it is only May. It must be the gas prices.
And Joe Average Driver is not the only one agitated. I was actually pulled over the other day during a ride. He pulled me over with his lights AND his siren on. Apparently the police are unhappy as well, what with budget cut-backs. They are feeling the pressure to issue revenue generating tickets. He stopped my for running a red light, which is true, I did run it. But I ran it in a safe way so as not to impede traffic. After we discussed it for a while, he did not issue me a citation, but I get the feeling he is watching for me. Really, is this what we are down to now? Pulling over cyclists to gin up the revenue stream?
So, it should come as no surprise that on my last 2 rides, I have had drivers yelling F bombs at me for no apparent reason. I, of course, returned fire with some choice words of my own. But in light of my scrape with the law, I have been unusually vigilant, and careful to obey as many laws as possible, so I don't know what it is I am doing to piss them off.
What has drivers so riled up already? It must be the gas prices. Oil is dropping, will the price of gas go with it? Let's hope so, and then I will report whether or not it effects the mood of our drivers.
Safe travels today.
And Joe Average Driver is not the only one agitated. I was actually pulled over the other day during a ride. He pulled me over with his lights AND his siren on. Apparently the police are unhappy as well, what with budget cut-backs. They are feeling the pressure to issue revenue generating tickets. He stopped my for running a red light, which is true, I did run it. But I ran it in a safe way so as not to impede traffic. After we discussed it for a while, he did not issue me a citation, but I get the feeling he is watching for me. Really, is this what we are down to now? Pulling over cyclists to gin up the revenue stream?
So, it should come as no surprise that on my last 2 rides, I have had drivers yelling F bombs at me for no apparent reason. I, of course, returned fire with some choice words of my own. But in light of my scrape with the law, I have been unusually vigilant, and careful to obey as many laws as possible, so I don't know what it is I am doing to piss them off.
What has drivers so riled up already? It must be the gas prices. Oil is dropping, will the price of gas go with it? Let's hope so, and then I will report whether or not it effects the mood of our drivers.
Safe travels today.
Hey, I am back
It has been quite a while since I posted anything. I had enjoyed an unprecedented period of tranquility on the roads, happily co-existing with my car-driving counterparts. I went weeks without a single incident to close out my 2010 riding season, and then it was closed out in a disappointing way. Here is a recap.
The weekend of June 4, 2010 I traveled to Nashville to take part in the Harpeth River Ride, sponsored by Nissan. It was an awesome event, the ride launched from Nissan HQ, and meandered out into the hill country and back to the HQ. It was 90 plus, and very humid. It rained briefly during the ride, and this would be the theme for the rest of my big event rides last season. The Century course clocked out at around 105 miles. It was a tough day in the saddle. I am going again in June 2011, more on that in a future blog.
The following weekend I flew to Seattle for the Livestrong ride in that city. This was my fist visit to Seattle, and I must say that it was a stunningly beautiful city saddled with the most unfortunate weather the side of London.
The weather was clear, sunny and warm the day we arrived, and was decent on Saturday as well. The forecast for Sunday, the ride day, was a high of 65, and 10 percent chance of rain. Not bad for Seattle in early June. We knew it would be chilly in the early hours at ride start, so we ventured to a local bike shop and bought some leg warmers, which would proved invaluable.
Sunday morning, as we prepped for the ride, I made a decision to put my wind jacket (which smashes down into a tiny bag) in my jersey pocket. This decision would save my ride. In a nutshell, it never hit 65. The temps topped out at 52, and it rained steadily for 85 miles. In Seattle, that must mean 10 percent....
The course itself was a beauty, featuring 2 well known climbs; Tiger Mountain, and Cougar Mountain. Tiger came early on, and was a nice climb. Cougar came at the 80 mile mark, your reward for suffering for the previous rain soaked 79 miles. It was a mile or so long, and tilted up 16 percent. It was brutal, and there were no cougars, either four legged or two legged around. Many riders were pushing, and i have to admit, I considered it briefly, but only briefly.
Many riders were flagged off the course by EMS staff for hypothermia. They were caught ill prepared for the actual weather. I saw one guy at a rest stop whose lips were completely blue, needless to say, he was flagged.
I didn't do any organized rides until August, when I did the local Tour Du Lacs Century early in the month, and saw a rider take a hard fall, landing on his head. I found out later he nearly died, and was in the hospital for quite a while. Thankfully, I believe he has recovered.
Then I did the Philadelphia Livestrong ride. This was my fourth time to do this, and I really like it. The city is great, and the course is challenging. This ride would not end well, and would effectively finish my 2010 ride season. About 25 miles into the ride, my drive train failed epically, breaking the chain, and damaging the deraillieur and frame. I had to take the SAG wagon back to the finish. As a result, my bike was in the shop for the next 5 weeks, including returning the frame to Trek for repairs. Thankfully, this was all under warranty.
So, that was the end of my season. I lost out on doing to Tour De Ford, a fund raiser for the Henry Ford Hospitals, and worst of all, I lost out on doing Levi Leipheimers King Ridge Gran Fondo. My bike was back in time, but my fitness was not up to the challenge, so I bagged it.
So that is my recap. Safe travels today.
The weekend of June 4, 2010 I traveled to Nashville to take part in the Harpeth River Ride, sponsored by Nissan. It was an awesome event, the ride launched from Nissan HQ, and meandered out into the hill country and back to the HQ. It was 90 plus, and very humid. It rained briefly during the ride, and this would be the theme for the rest of my big event rides last season. The Century course clocked out at around 105 miles. It was a tough day in the saddle. I am going again in June 2011, more on that in a future blog.
The following weekend I flew to Seattle for the Livestrong ride in that city. This was my fist visit to Seattle, and I must say that it was a stunningly beautiful city saddled with the most unfortunate weather the side of London.
The weather was clear, sunny and warm the day we arrived, and was decent on Saturday as well. The forecast for Sunday, the ride day, was a high of 65, and 10 percent chance of rain. Not bad for Seattle in early June. We knew it would be chilly in the early hours at ride start, so we ventured to a local bike shop and bought some leg warmers, which would proved invaluable.
Sunday morning, as we prepped for the ride, I made a decision to put my wind jacket (which smashes down into a tiny bag) in my jersey pocket. This decision would save my ride. In a nutshell, it never hit 65. The temps topped out at 52, and it rained steadily for 85 miles. In Seattle, that must mean 10 percent....
The course itself was a beauty, featuring 2 well known climbs; Tiger Mountain, and Cougar Mountain. Tiger came early on, and was a nice climb. Cougar came at the 80 mile mark, your reward for suffering for the previous rain soaked 79 miles. It was a mile or so long, and tilted up 16 percent. It was brutal, and there were no cougars, either four legged or two legged around. Many riders were pushing, and i have to admit, I considered it briefly, but only briefly.
Many riders were flagged off the course by EMS staff for hypothermia. They were caught ill prepared for the actual weather. I saw one guy at a rest stop whose lips were completely blue, needless to say, he was flagged.
I didn't do any organized rides until August, when I did the local Tour Du Lacs Century early in the month, and saw a rider take a hard fall, landing on his head. I found out later he nearly died, and was in the hospital for quite a while. Thankfully, I believe he has recovered.
Then I did the Philadelphia Livestrong ride. This was my fourth time to do this, and I really like it. The city is great, and the course is challenging. This ride would not end well, and would effectively finish my 2010 ride season. About 25 miles into the ride, my drive train failed epically, breaking the chain, and damaging the deraillieur and frame. I had to take the SAG wagon back to the finish. As a result, my bike was in the shop for the next 5 weeks, including returning the frame to Trek for repairs. Thankfully, this was all under warranty.
So, that was the end of my season. I lost out on doing to Tour De Ford, a fund raiser for the Henry Ford Hospitals, and worst of all, I lost out on doing Levi Leipheimers King Ridge Gran Fondo. My bike was back in time, but my fitness was not up to the challenge, so I bagged it.
So that is my recap. Safe travels today.
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