2008-06-30

Bike Log, day 52

It feels like I slept all weekend, though I managed to fit Kung Fu Panda and an outdoor sculpture show into it. I took long naps both days, went to bed early and woke up late, and I still had trouble getting up this morning. I also practiced cello both days. Regardless, my time into the office today:

20:49, 6.5mi
68ºF, Odo 1096mi
avg 18.8mph, max 28.7mph


I'm expecting thunderstorms at 5pm tonight. In addition to this, I want to ride home without a backpack and see if my time improves. That's the plan, anyway.

[after work]
the plan worked! I shattered my old record! Yippee!

17:59, 6.5mi
82ºF, Odo 1103mi
avg 21.8mph, max 38.4mph

I destroyed my old record of 18m55s, 20.8mph!
I abandoned the bag, my shirt, and water. I rode only with a helmet and a saddle bag. Yippee I did it!!

2008-06-27

Bike Log, day 51

This morning's ride started out quickly, but suddenly became difficult and stayed that way. I pushed through it, though:

20:49, 6.5mi
64ºF, Odo 1083mi
avg 18.8mph, max 30.0mph


I'm still keeping with the ~19mph average, Not Bad!

[Ride home]
not bad. Again, I pushed really hard but couldn't quite reach my record. This may be due to the weight I was carrying.

19:38, 6.5mi
81ºF, Odo 1090mi
avg 19.9mph, max 31.2mph
19:38 is not bad at all!

Also:


Boom de yada, this commercial makes me so so happy =)

2008-06-26

Bike Log, day 50

What a fantastic morning! After a couple of days to get my sleep schedule back in order, I'm back on the bike, and with a good time, too!

20:21, 6.5mi
61ºF, Odo 1070mi
avg 19.2mph, max 27.7mph


I definitely made time on the last uphill stretch.

[after work edit]
I carried the new work laptop home on my back, but was determined to set a record regardless. I did(!) ... kinda. The stopwatch wasn't seated correctly so I missed 2/10ths of a mile from my run. le sigh.

18:07, 6.3mi
73ºF, Odo 1076mi
avg 21.0mph, max 32.5mph


Did I break a record? I doubt it. I also had to stop at the stoplight and wait forever. My cyclometer keeps the clock running whenever the wheel moves, so I would have added some time there.... and math says I would need to add 34seconds to my time for 2/10ths of a mile at 21mph, which would put me at 18:41. ten seconds faster than my best time. Did I break a record? The world will never know. I know this: my average speed would be even better because I was -flying- off the start post, probably 24mph.

2008-06-23

NYC, day 2

2pm, Penn. Station, NYC
Morning was hectic. 'breakfast' was a pitiful joke. The commute took roughly an hour: I started from Brooklyn, stopped in grand central station (42nd street), and continued on uptown to 51st. I walked to 54th and turned West to 535 Madison Ave., Dana's work. There was some gentle rain, not enough to get me wet or uncomfortable. Once I arrived, the rain really started. I got inside just in the nick of time! From the J train, as it crossed the river, I saw many mid sized buildings uptown surrounded by a thick haze. Walking was hot and humid, and since I was carrying 40lbs on my back I was worried about turning into a sweatmonkey. Everything was ok though, once I arrived the building was air conditioned and very comfortable. I waited some time before security was able to locate Dana, as there were two Dana's working there. This did not frustrate me at all; I used the opportunity to unwind a little.

I was a little stressed before I left the apartment, but the stress quickly dissolved away and my commute was mostly relaxed. Once upstairs, I was taken aback when the receptionist offered me a drink. The bottle of water was quite refreshing after the subway ride, and helped alleviate the small amount of tension I felt. The view helped, too. I was looking down on the city streets below; out across Madison and up 54th street.

Dana and I went out for sushi then I took a short ride to Penn. station, where I now sit, waiting for my 3:30 train.

Ethnically, the changeover during my morning commute was remarkable and disappointing. The J train was 98% black people. The 5 train was an even mix, 50/50, and the 6 train was 90% white people. The dichotomy was nauseating. We're all the same inside!

My train is arriving...

3:53pm, The Quiet Cabin, Amtrak train 176. New Rochelle, NY
More train info for Mom.
The bathroom had two sturdy coat hangers, which was not surprising. I was surprised, however, by the power outlets there.

4:23pm, Stanford CT.
Zzzz I've been napping to music since my last post, with my laptop on the seat next to me (and one hand on it) This new naptime playlist is very effective.

4:46pm, Bridgeport to New Haven CT
General comments about NYC.
I've never seen such a collection of long slender legs on display in one place ever. Some time after my train arrived on Saturday, no less than a hundred models got off one train and flooded into the bathroom, then on to wherever they were going. It seemed they were all going to the same place (or arriving), and all knew each other (they stuck mostly in clumps of five or six, but sometimes collecting into much larger groups). Most were in heels, some had the worst fashion sense imaginable (but could pull it off because they were so beautiful/confident/curvaceous). I saw one amazing girl in a skin tight "dress" that was bright red and bright blue camo print. It was hideous, contrasted harshly with everything--but you couldn't look away. This is the part of our program where I tell you all about how I prefer understated style, instead of outrageous.
Shortly after this group exited the general waiting area of Penn. Station, around 50 cyclists walked through. Many with cycles, some with only helmets or jerseys. I asked what the commotion was about.... There was a century ride from Montauk. One thousand riders. Damn. I missed it!

This train suddenly got cold--the lady across from me put on a pink shawl. Not that I'm complaining, all I've had to do is roll my sleeves down.
I should also mention that the seats are quite comfortable. They recline from Business Bolt Upright down to Don't Wake Me I'm Sleeping. I cannot use my laptop easily from the sleeping position, though it does not intrude too much on the person behind me (it's an empty seat). There is always extra room in the quiet car =)

6:20pm, New London CT
I've put my suit coat back on but I'm still too cold to sleep. I spoke with the conductor but she just said to move to another cabin. No thanks, and honestly I don't think we would bake this late in the evening with this much cloud cover... but it's your train.
These seats need footrests. My backpack does not serve this purpose well.

I'm starving. the snack car is a joke, price wise. A half-sized water bottle costs $1.50
Scoundrels. I will hold out the hour and a half.

We are currently riding through a dense fog. It looks like it should be cold and damp.


7:25pm, Providence RI
The sun is a yellow freckle in the gray sky. The cloud cover is thick enough that you can only tell where the sun is by the yellow orange smudge. I will be in Boston soon.

It is impossible for me to find a bus that leaves for home sooner than the late bus I'm already planing to take, since I cannot connect to the internet. I've already dialed 411 to find Greyhound's phone number but the only train they have from Boston to Nashua leaves at 11:45pm and arrives at 6:45am; now there's a huge fail, I could bike there faster than that. I could dial 411 again to try to reach PeterPan, or I could just go with the layover I currently have scheduled. =( and I'm still hungry. Fortunately we'll be arriving soon.

8:56pm, Dock 15, Bus terminal. South Station, Boston Mass.
The first thing I bought when I got off the train was a cup of hot chocolate. Then a fruit cup. The fruit cup was an impulse buy since I had to wait for the cocoa. After regaining my wits, I looked at my real dining options. I ordered a grilled chicken TBM melt from Così. That's Tomato Basil Mozzarella. I requested whole grain bread, too. It was completely delicious. Compared to the alternatives of greasy Chinese food, greasy pizza, and McD's, this was heaven. The bread was crispy, the mozz was melty, my taste buds are happy. So is my belly.

My bus has arrived, and the driver is taking a break. Several people got up to stand in line. Some people went through the other door and are standing outside the bus, to the chagrin of the people waiting diligently in line. The bus driver arrived and started letting those other people on board first. Time to go.

11:10pm, My desk in front of the window, My Room, Nashua NH.
I've edited the journal entries and now get to sleep on my own bed instead of a couch.

NYC, day 1

Sunday
Last night we played Rock Band (guitars & bass) until 3am on Saturday morning. I woke up early and played Portal for hours until Dana woke up. We had the most delicious brunch at this tiny* Spanish restaurant. I mean -The Most Delicious- I thought my ravioli was amazing until I tasted Dana's dish. I cannot even describe it, except that it was smooth and richly flavored. It came with eggs Benedict and incredible spicy sausage. We had been looking for another place. I'm so, so glad we didn't find it.

Dana had a bit of work to do, so I roamed Madison Ave. for 2 hours. Mostly I was people watching, though I did spend some time in the Apple store talking about 3ps with a Mac Genius. I am excited for the upcoming release of a $200 iPhone.
After all that walking my shins were a little sore. I'm not used to walking the way I'm used to cycling. After all that walking Dana and I rode for 10 miles through Brooklyn. The frequent stops were very annoying, the rain was heavy and wonderful. I loved riding in the rain as I had no need dry off and be presentable. We visited Dana's friend Page, who offered us food and let us play Garage Band (more on this later) but then Dana got a call and we needed to be home -stat- We took a different route and powered home. Gently uphill, 8.5 miles. Red lights aside, I believe we broke the land-speed record for inner city cycling. That was scary, by the way.

Ren arrived, finally. She was lost but only because we weren't able to provide her directions until we got home. I played Portal while we waited. We had dinner at my new favorite restaurant, Moto**. Let me tell you why this is the most wonderful restaurant ever. It's set in the 1930s. Everything from the live band they had, to the music they played while the band took a break, to the food and drink selection to the presentation.... By the time I started desert, I felt like I was in another world. A simpler world where there were no cell phones or digital interruptions or oil shortages or nuclear weapons. I felt right at home. Desert was chilled pudding and it was orgasmic. I enjoyed, thoroughly, every spoonful. It was perfectly rich, not too dark. But oh, it was dark. and good. I savored it slowly while listening to the most wonderful music. The moment was perfect. I cannot accurately describe how much I enjoyed that dinner. Just go. Go and soak it all in. There is no diet soda, they don't do credit cards, they brought a wine bottle with water in it: it refracted and bent the light of the candles so beautifully. Everything was simple and old. I love it and cannot wait to go back. After desert I drifted home like a fluffy cloud.

Regarding Garage Band
I've never played the drums in Garage Band before. At Page's house I experimented with them on two songs; first on easy, then on medium. One thing I noticed about the drums in this game that differs from the guitars, is that as soon as you start (easy) you've got all five buttons in use, and you're already hitting multiple drums at once. I'm happy to find that the progression of difficulty in this instrument is that you must hold multiple rhythms with different hands/foot. This skill can be taken to a real drum set and immediately applied. This is in addition to the coordination that you'd enhance just playing the guitar portions. Certainly, you can improve your range/control with the vocal section.... but I didn't play that section of the game.

*I will find the name of the restaurant and put it here.
**Moto is at 394 Broadway (at Hooper St.), Brooklyn, NY 11211 phone: 718-599-6895, but the year is 1936.

2008-06-22

Traveling

7pm, Boston Express bus, Slightly North of Boston.
"Argh!"
I'm on the bus, sitting next to Kyle, who has informed me that there is a power outlet next to us. awesome! Kyle is going to boston to the symphony, I'm going to catch a train. The fact that I'm on the bus is important, as I missed the first bus.

Here's the story: I packed a bit before karate, but clearly not enough. I ate and practiced cello before my lesson, and Mr. Beiniek offered to let me stay late but I had a bus to catch. Drat!

I raced home, and by raced I mean -the speed limit- I packed quickly, literally throwing stuff into my bag. I grabbed my garment bag and -ran- to the bus station. I have 15 minutes to get there, and it's 1.5 miles. It's 80F, I'm sweating abundantly, I have 2 minutes to spare, and the nice lady behind the counter says the bus already left.

Oops. Without shouting at anyone, I left. My anger showed on my face and my pace out the door. Mom came to the rescue but there was no way we could make the train, it would simply take too long. We ate and I called amtrak, who were angels and simply moved my reservation later. Yes! We picked up some food and water (because I didn't have time to pack them the first time) and Mom dropped me off at the bus station and continued on her day. I owe you Big Time, Thanks Mom.

Neil Gaiman's second(?) book of short stories: Fragile Things will be my primary source of entertainment until my train (Amtrak #169) arrives in NYC at 10:50pm. I have an hour layover in South Station where I hope to buy another book. I brought three but the other two are comic books (flight, volumes 1 and 2).

8:35pm, 'The Quiet Cabin', Amtrak train 169 in Some Part of Conn.
"Things Forgotten"
I ate my dinner in South Station without napkins. One other item I've forgotten: iPod power/connection cable. Hopefully my NYC friend, Dana, will have some way to charge it. If I had a digital camera worth taking, I would have brought it. The sunset alone would have been worth it.

This is The Quiet Cabin, no cell phones please. Please be courteous to those around you. Please keep all conversation hushed and to a minimum. Please turn off all electronic equipment that beeps or makes noise of any kind. I've been listening to my iPod for several hours, now I'm listening to my laptop because it's plugged in. There is a power outlet in plain sight right next to me. Mom, you would also like to know that this cabin is clean, even the windows have recently been washed. The cabin lights and AC are on. There is plenty of room for both of my carry on items, though I had to take my bicycle helmet out of my backpack and put it up overhead wih my garment bag. When I put the bag up there, I was very afraid I would forget it. I was also afraid I'd fall asleep and miss my stop (the train goes to Washington DC), as I was a zombie for the first 2 hours in the train; consequently I have been remixing my naptime playlist with quiet music I can sleep to. Infrequently the power will go out in the cabin, as I'm sure it happens with all cabins and subway cars. I do not see this as a problem. Since the AC and lights go out, the cabin becomes even more peaceful. This never happens for more than a minute or two, but those trying to read probably do not enjoy it as much as I do =)

It's just now getting dark outside. Soon there won't be enough light for me to see out the windows. I should have tried to talk to the girl behind me. I didn't want to interrupt, and this *is* the quiet cabin....

With nearly 2 hours left in this leg of my commute, I'm going to try to take a nap, though I am curious what I could find in the snack car...
*listening to Satie: Gymnopédies - 1. Lent Et Douloureux

2:21am, The Couch, Dana's apartment, NYC
After a seemingly endless subway ride, fried chicken (for Dana), and hours of Rock Band, I'm finally calling it a night.

What a day!

2008-06-20

Bike Log, day 50

On day fifty I took my time, though i still managed a good average speed

22:52, 6.5mi
59F, Odo 1040mi
avg 17.1mph, max 25.6mph


Not bad for such little effort =)

[Ride home. I didn't have time to write this up yesterday, I had to rush to karate. More on that later.]

I powered home, pushing from the start for a record. It started raining partway home, about 4 minutes from home so I tucked my iPod into the rainproof pocket on my camelback, behind my head while riding (I even managed to zip it mostly closed; it was safe and dry, don't worry). The rain started light, but quickly turned into a deluge. The raindrops were large and pelting me. I suppose I should mention that I was only wearing bike shorts and a helmet. Anyway, I was cruising for a good time, but hit traffic at the end. I spent a minute (my cyclometer stops after 5 seconds) waiting by a the lamp post in the pouring rain. My sunglasses were a total obstruction to my vision. Finally there was a break in traffic and I bolted. I pushed as hard as I could, flew to my front door and retreated from the rain. Did I mention the thunder? Regardless, here are the stats:

19:55, 6.5mi
69F, Odo 1046mi
avg 19.7mph, max 37.4mph


Not bad max speed, this and 19:55 would have been a record once.

2008-06-19

To Read: Kent's Bike Blog

Kent's Bike Blog: Carfree
This is a family of four that lives without a car. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but here's a choice quote:

People who don't ride or walk seem to think our way of getting around must be tiring or draining. The truth is that we need both stress and rest to build strength and stamina. A life of ease, where your only effort is clicking a mouse or pressing a gas pedal, will lead you to a place where every effort is draining, every step a struggle.

Bike Log, day 49

Zzzzzzz....... But I rode anyway.

22:19, 6.5mi
59F, Odo 1026mi
avg 17.5mph, max 28.7mph


No records today, and that's fine. Some days, success means just getting out of bed. On the other hand, 17.5mph average speed isn't bad at all.

[Ride Home]

I pushed and nearly broke my record, but was slowed by traffic.

19.23, 6.5mi
79F, Odo 1033mi
avg 20.3mph, max 37.9mph


Excellent average speed, incredible max speed (without drafting) and overall a great ride. Nothing to be upset about here!

2008-06-18

Bike Log, day 48

I did not realize how sore my legs would be this morning. Not enough to eat, not enough sleep, not enough stretching.... but I still rode in:

22:41, 6.5mi
57F, Odo 1013mi
avg 17.2mph, max 25.0mph


The new seat is a total win: it was instantly more comfortable, and stayed that way. I can't wait to use it on a long ride! Oddly enough, my knees hurt this morning, but that could have been due to the kicking in last night's class. *reminder: bring bo staff to karate tomorrow

[After work]
This was not a bad ride, seems on the slow side, honestly.

20:18, 6.5mi
77F, Odo 1020mi
avg 19.3mph, max 31.9mph


Time for bed! zzz...

2008-06-17

Kōhai

My kōhai (read: student*) Jacob, passed his test! I'm so proud of him! We both worked so hard for this, and Jacob stayed positive through the worst of it, and clearly practiced hard. I lifted him up and gave him a big huge squishing hug today after class. He's a little genius, always thinking. I'm honored to work with him. Yay!

*I'm his mentor. None of the other Japanese relationship stuff applies. I just lead and guide and help. He works hard to succeed.

Get Firefox

This post made from Firefox 3. Go set a world record by downloading it today!

2008-06-14

Recital

Rondeau (Theme from Masterpiece Theatre)


Some favorites:
Moon over the Ruined Castle from Suzuki Cello School Vol. 2
then G Major p.43 and G Minor p.46 from Kummer Violoncello Method

Mileage Cont.

I thought I'd peaked my car last week at 31mpg, but I thought wrong. This week I put 342.2 miles down on 10.32 gallons of gas. That's 33.2mpg, and I'm certain I can do better! Woohoo!
When I bought it (used) the mpg rating was "23 city, 29 highway." I never managed to get more than 28 mpg on the highway, until now.

Stats: 2002 Mazda Protege 5 sportwagon, 180k miles. 4 cylinder 5speed, midnight blue.

2008-06-13

Bike Log, day 47: One Thousand Miles

One Thousand Miles.

22:57, 6.6mi
54F, Odo 1000mi
avg 17.2mph, max 27.5mph


Where did that extra tenth of a mile come from? With an average speed of 17.2mph, I should have a better time than 22:57... Oh well, the mysteries of life =)

Riding with the larger backpack with a couple of liters of water, loose sweatpants and windbreaker must have slowed me down. Extra weight plus extra wind resistance = slow
Still, not a bad ride for 1000 miles!

[After work]
My bag seemed heavier on the way home, despite the water I drank during the day. I had another number irregularity, but all in all, this was not a bad ride.

20:24, 6.6mi
82F, Odo 1007mi
avg 19.3mph, max 31.2mph


Yay good day!

2008-06-12

Bike Log, day 46

This morning I could not seem to get out of bed. This doesn't show on my time, though:

21:06, 6.5mi
64F, Odo 987mi
avg 18.6mph, max 28.7mph


It turns out that 64F is slightly too cold to ride in shirtless.

[After work edit]
I forgot to reset the timer. Woops! Let's see what we can salvage:
40:30, 13.2mi, avg 19.5, max 33.9

19:24, 6.7mi,
80F, Odo 993mi
avg 19.1mph, max 33.9mph


I don't feel this time accurately represents how long it took me to get here, because the clock was running when I walked my bike away from the garage and when I spun the crank to change the gears before I started the ride. That may have added 10 seconds, maybe more. That doesn't break any records, but I just don't feel it's accurate.

2008-06-11

Bike Log, day 45

Last night we had a tremendous thunderstorm. The rain broke the heat, so this morning was a comfortable 70F. I stayed up too late, and woke up during the storm; I wore a shirt while riding in. Clearly, shirtless and well rested is the fast way, I'm certain the smaller bag helps, too. Still, this time would have broken records before Monday.

21:43, 6.5mi
70F, Odo 974mi
avg 18.1mph, max 29.0mph


I'm due to break one thousand miles today. 6 more after work, plus 20 after karate puts me right at 1000mi. Woo!!

[After work]
Not a bad time at all!

19:30, 6.5mi
90F, Odo 980mi
avg 20.1mph, max 38.2mph


Tonight I will remember to wear my sunglasses =)

[After Karate]
I forgot my cycling shorts. No padding for 20 miles would hurt too much so i drove home =(
I'll break 1000 miles tomorrow or Friday

2008-06-10

Bike Log, day 44

I'm staying consistent!

20:33, 6.5mi
72F, Odo 942mi
avg 19.2mph, max 28.7mph


I'm really satisfied with this time and average speed, because I had been worried that yesterday might be a fluke.
My calculations say I'll reach one thousand miles on Thursday.

[After work edit]
This was the most grueling ride I've ever done, it was much harder than the 75 mile ride. I broke another record!!

1:20:13, 24.7mi
102F, Odo 967mi
avg 18.4mph, max 32.1mph


Amazing. In this heat I still took a minute off my long ride time.

2008-06-09

Bike Log, day 43: FAST

AWESOME ride in! I rode in shirtless, with just my small camelbak for water.
Today

20:14(!), 6.5mi
72F, Odo 909mi
avg 19.4mph, max 31.8mph
Previous Best (5/8)

22:44, 6.5mi
57F, Odo 449mi
avg 17.2mph, max 25.9mph







I'm beside myself. Typically I struggle to reach 17mph average speed. This is four minutes faster than last week, and TWO FULL MINUTES faster than when I drafted a dump truck!

It must have been the sushi.

[Ride Home]
I did it: I even beat my ride home time!

18:55, 6.5mi
99F, Odo 915mi
avg 20.8mph, max 35.6mph

WOOHOO!! What a day!

[Last Edit]
After covering at the Karate studio, I left my car at Marie's and rode home. There is much to be said for the amount of bugs I ran into on the way home, but I will only say this: wear eye protection, and keep your mouth closed.
I left my cyclometer here by mistake, however I kept a pretty good eye on the time. I broke another record. and reached my goal

1:00:00, 21.2mi
?F, Odo 936mi
avg 21mph

This beats my previous time by eight minutes! Wow!!

2008-06-08

Heat

My, is it hot out today. I tanned outside while writing up some karate techniques (only 5 left to write up, out of 128!) and though I used plenty of sunscreen, had to come inside to keep from burning.

Even with all the windows open and a fan on full blast, it's still sweltering up in my room. I've decided to see if I can manage this summer without an Air Conditioner for two reasons: the electric bill and freon.

So I took cold showers to keep cool. Refreshing!

Anyway, I'm starving so I used this as motivation to work out:
50 pushups, 50 crunches, short freeweight workout for arms/shoulders
100 side crunches (50 a side), 50 pushups.
Having accomplished that goal, I will now go have sushi!

The plan for next week is 100 miles on the bike, 160 in the car. It may turn out to be more like 130 or 150 though. We'll see.

2008-06-06

Bike Log, day 42: Rain

Today it was pouring on the way into work. I left my towel at home by accident. After wringing out my sweatpants, under-armor long sleeve shirt, gloves, and socks; I have said items hanging up around my cube somewhat inconspicuously. Except for the bright day-glow green jacket, which is probably the most conspicuous garment ever. I had to stop multiple times to make adjustments. It was raining more than I expected, so I threw my iPod into the bag to stay dry. I needed to adjust my right pant leg multiple times, as it kept catching on the top sprocket. In spite of this, I managed a time that was not my worst ever:

24:08, 6.6mi
55F, Odo 897mi
avg 16.3mph, max 25.3mph


The only thing that convinced me to ride today: I knew I'd break 900 miles.

[after work edit]
That's it, 902 miles.

18:25, 5.4mi
63F, Odo 902mi
avg 17.7mph, max 30.3mph


Oops, I forgot to check the cyclometer when I started, so it wasn't connected and I missed the first mile.

2008-06-05

Bike Log, day 41

It was cold out this morning, though my cyclometer says it's 59F, the humidity made it feel colder. Honestly, I was only cold at the beginning of the ride; by the end I felt hot and sweaty. Ah humidity, my old nemesis.

23:46, 6.5mi
59F, Odo 883mi
avg 16.5mph, max 27.1mph


As for pedaling, I've been focusing on using both legs at the same time, pulling and pushing. Not just when I need the extra power, but all the time. It makes for a much smoother ride: instead of push coast, push coast, push coast; one leg after the other, we have one long continuous glide. I liken it to a regular 4 cylinder engine vs a rotary engine: continuous power, all along the rotation. Of course, using two legs at once is also going to give me more power. Hopefully I can increase that power output and still maintain my endurance. In theory, this should increase my average speed, unless I burn out.

[after work]

21:21, 6.6mi
64F, Odo 890mi
avg 18.5mph, max 28.7mph


Looks like I'm finally getting back into the groove. I still have no idea how I managed an average speed of 20mph last month.

2008-06-04

Bike Log, day 40

Rainy morning, I didn't go to bed on time, so of course the ride in was slow:

25:14, 6.5mi
61F, Odo 870mi
avg 15.5mph, max 25.2mph
*rain


Hopefully the rain cuts the heat and will bring the temperature down. Yesterday's ride was the sweatiest ever.

After work I rode straight to the bike shop, where they adjusted the new cleats. Turns out they were way forward. I'll have to make a long (25 miles or more) trip to really tell the difference, however it should make a difference all the time.

24:59, 7.0mi
70F, Odo 877mi
avg 16.9mph, max 25.5mph
*light rain, cold
I wonder when I'll break one thousand miles =)

2008-06-03

Bike Log, day 39

Another 24 minute ride in. At least this one seemed comfortable.

24:19, 6.5mi
57F, Odo 838mi
avg 16.1mph, max 27.7mph


I finally bought the new pedals, Shimano R540, and Body Geometry shoes. The shoes actually fit. So far they are more comfortable and more stiff than my old shoes (this is a good thing). Unfortunately the pedal/shoes cleat seems to be loose, compared to my old cant-twist-if-you-tried pedals. Maybe I just need to tighten the new ones.

After work will be 25 miles to Manchester. Woo!

The ride home was unfortunately unspectacular. It was smooth, except for when I had to step back into my new pedals. they -do not- work like the old ones. I cannot just push down on them. Pushing down on the pedal before a connection is made results in slipping off the pedal and getting punched in the groin by the seat. Usually this is while you are trying to cross an intersection in traffic. Ouch.

1:21:20, 24.7mi
90F, Odo 863mi
avg 18.2mph, max 33.3mph
*hot and humid


Miserable time, due to possible factors: hot + humid = death, 75mile ride on Sunday.
Still, 18.2mph average speed for 24.7 miles is not bad at all. I wonder if I could maintain that speed for 50, 75, 100 miles. Of course, the route being mostly flat helps.
[edit: NEW BEST TIME! I knew the ride felt smooth, I don't know why I never checked against the scoreboard first. This is actually 7 seconds better! Yay!]

Also, this was the sweatiest ride I've ever done. Thankfully I could take a (cool) shower afterwards. Cold, refreshing water is my favorite thing in the world.

2008-06-02

Bike Log, day 38

After yesterday's Monster Ride, I'm satisfied with just getting out of bed this morning.

24:28, 6.5mi
54F, Odo 824mi
avg 16.0mph, max 27.5mph


Look at that, 824 miles since March! Wow!

[home again...]

20:43, 6.5mi
80F, Odo 830mi
avg 18.9mph, max 31.9mph
*sweaty ride


The weather was perfect but I've never sweat like this before. Eew!

2008-06-01

Monster Ride details

I rode with my co-worker C___ today. Here's the trail map. The weather was perfect. It was not too hot, and a gentle breeze kept us cool but not cold. Perfect.

After that 56 miles, I rode 20 more miles home.

4:58:42, 75.3mi
80-88F, Odo 817mi
avg 15.0mph, max 46.2mph
*perfect weather


As for the average speed, I let C___ set the pace and we ran into hundreds of red lights. We took breaks every 10 miles, including one large break at 30mi

At top speed, I was in top gear and pedaling as fast as possible. My bike is not geared to go much faster than 40, and that's ok with me. Sure, I could roll down a steeper hill faster, but I have no desire to do that, I'd be out of control.

During this ride, a new corvette convertible pulled out next to me. I shouted "wanna race?" and laid some rubber down. They smiled, seemed like nice people. I let them win, of course.

This was an excellent ride, and I can't wait to do it again.