Two more months to go

Two month till work starts again, then it will be TGIMonday!

I did a Dam ride yesterday (saw either a baby deer or a coyote, I need glasses!) and a Dam ride today. I was thinking as I was going 35mph down a hill that I really DO NOT care to go that fast, unlike the Fat Cyclist who says he can't hear his iPod so well at speed.

Curiously, 35mph is about as fast as I can coast downhill. I guess my big frame (ha!) is not aerodynamically efficient. I feel more comfortable at 25mph; having crashed at lower speeds than that and getting teh road rash wasn't much fun. The fastest I can get up to on the flats is around 21 or so, and that's a strain. And it musses my hair.

Today I was following a guy riding a mountain bike on the Padre Dam bike/dog walking path and I had to brake a lot because, while he was pedaling for all he was worth, I could coast faster than he was pedaling! At least for a while. Of course eventually he left me in the dust, like THEY ALL DO!

Ran across this quote on a couple (Poignant Irrelevance & Tales Of Slow Brave Athena) of blogs, attributed to Floyd Landis in a article in Outside magazine.

"There's only one rule: The guy who trains the hardest, the most, wins. Period. Because you won't die. Even though you feel like you'll die, you don't actually die. Like when you're training, you can always do one more. Always. As tired as you might think you are, you can always, always do more". --Landis.

As for me, I may cry, I may whine, but at least I don't get that awful copper taste in my mouth after a climb any more.

Hotterenheck

It been very hot the last few days, it was a hundred yesterday. VERY unseasonal for the coastal area. Needless to say, I couldn't come up with a good reason to go riding, so I watched Sunday Morning and laster watched Citizen Kane for the first time.

I haven't had any problems to speak of, bicycle-wise, nor anything interesting to report. Steve L. brought his new fixie to work, it's very cool, has mustached handlebars, a Brooks leather seat w/leather tool bag, a bell.

As they say, useless without pics!

I forget the brand, though.


Weekly Mileage:

Schwinn -- 2.22 miles
Jamis -- 42.6

Monday Monday

I was riding home Friday and came upon a Road Closed sign, as they were re-paving the road. I thought I would have to take the detour, then realized I can ride on the sidewalk (for the 35 yards or so)to get around the new pavement. Coolness!

First heard, then saw, a woodpecker pecking away at a telephone pole this morning. It had a red head. I wondered if it was the same one I saw a couple years ago. How long do woodpeckers live, anyway?

Weekly Mileage

Schwinn -- nada
Jamis -- 54.94

Fixed the tube and read bike blogs all the day

Ran across this little bit of coolness while surfing the blogs, so I made route map of the Dam Ride to try it out.

Fixed the tube from the flat incident of last week. The tube of Chinese glue is still good, in spite of the loose cap!

CONTRARY to rumour, I do not hate SUVs. Well, maybe I'm prejudiced against them a LITTLE, but they do have their place. It's just not in the same place my bicycle is!

A black car in the go-straight lane decided he could turn left, into my lane. A blast on the wimpy truck horn straightened that out!

Today Prius decided he had to move from the (same) go-straight lane to tne INSIDE turn lane. I graciously let him live.

This is the same intersection where I had to spank a truck that was ALSO turning left from the go-straight lane, but I was on my bike that time.

So what's up with that lane? And the point was other vehicles have offended me, also. In fact, I think it was an F-150 that I had to spank, Mr. Ex-History Teacher!

Later!

Flat tire

ssssssssss and a distinct lack of motion let me know I had another flat.

I found a shady spot and fixed it.

LOVE the new pump!

Hate the long stem Presta tubes I bought by misteak!

Noticed the rear tire is getting worn, probably will need to replace it this summer.

The Day After The Week-End

Didn't ride all weekend, but did suck it up and torque the crankarm bolts to 300 in pounds on the Schwinn. Earled the chain and dribbled a little 30w into the freewheel, too.

Maybe someday I'll even ride it!

Weekly Mileage

Schwinn -- 0
Jamis -- 65.5

Friday Myday

The possibly increasingly optimistic bike-o-meter says I've done 60 miles so far this week.

Either it is getting senile, or the benefits of early-rising are paying off in mileage.

This should make up for last week, a little.

Next week is another story!

Wednesday? Thursday?

What day is it? I forget!

I remember on the way to work thinking I was goona post something here that had occured to me, or something that happened, but I forget what it was.

I DID run a stop sign this morning, right after a car-lady ran it. Then at the left-turn light she was SO SLOW taking off I was able to zoom around her for quite some distance.

Maybe I was going to rant again about motorcycles slipping up the side of a lane to get ahead of cars. Would they like it if a car crept up next to them?

I had a clutch cable snap at a red light once, instant wheelie!! I would laugh my butt off to see that happen to one of those lane weenies!

Misty morning ride

It has been very misty and cloudy the past two days, making a nice cool ride to work. Especially after the extremely hot Saturday we had.

I saw John the bicycle guy this morning. It looked like he was going to Costco, but I don't think it is open at 6:15 in the morning! He waved to me! I should have stopped ad asked him what he was up to.

A wierd thing happened this morning. The green arrow on Fletcher and Jackson stayed GREEN for my whole turn, instead of changing after 5 seconds! Amazing!

Working on the bike

Bottom bracket shell image
The inside of the Schwinn bottom bracket shell. I put in the new bottom bracket today. Boy, it's a close fit! I got the 113mm axle instead of the 123mm (I think) I had in there. I'm nervous about the torque specs. for the crankarm bolts. I can't find a website for Sugino. The whole shifting seems to work ok on the bike stand, after I adjust the derailleur angle-screw thingie for the GIANT 34t gear! It's massive!

I'm trying another image hosting site...so far, so good!

In and out

I was riding along yesterday along the frontage road, when I came upon a young (older teen) bicyclist who was having the time of his life weaving forth-and-back between the lane markings. He looked like he was having so much fun!

Of course, the cars going both ways were having some problems figuring out which way he was going to dodge next...

When he dove into the driveway at the Carl's Jr., splitting the 5-foot difference between a couple walking on the sidewalk (and earning himself a "look" and a fist), I just shook my head.

Youts, whatta gonna do?

Drove today

Had a meeting across town, so I drove. Listened to my new T. Rex ("Girl, I'm just a Jeepster for your love", kids) cd. It sounds MUCH better on the auto stereo than the computer speakers, let me tell you!

I did bike yesterday, almost got WACKED by a lady in a white SUV coasting through a STOP SIGN (near an elementary school).

I made a couple of poor decisions Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning whilst making left-hand turns. I HATE left-hand turns! I also hate people (in SUVs, naturally) that don't turn on their turn indicators untill they have already moved into the turning lane.

If they knew how poor my eyesight is...