Carbon Fork

I come from a short line . . .

. . . of cyclists.

Can't say I come from a long line of pedalers; I seriously doubt that any of my grand-ancestors did any biking. But my Dad did. He bought me my first adult bike, a 1976 model. I still own it, even though its fit is abominable, now that I'm no longer 24 years old (a young body can be very forgiving of such things as too-long top tubes).

My Dad took up cycling . . . gosh, it's hard to remember exactly when. It must have been in the early 1970s. It was after he retired (involuntarily; Union Carbide cut him early), which was when I was a senior in high school. That was in 1970. So, yes, it had to have been in the early 70s, when he was in his sixties. I remember that he had a cheap exercise bicycle downstairs in his home "gym." He ended up owning 2 - 3 bikes, the most expensive of which was probably about $500. That bought a lot of bike in those days. The bike he bought me was a little under $200: it was a Panasonic, girls' frame, bright blue, 10-speed.

Here she is, hanging in my garage (actually, the ceiling is to the left . . . the bike is hanging from its rear wheel):

She's an 18-speed now. Dad was a mechanical sorta guy; he tinkered with everything. Every winter, he tooks his bikes apart, cleaned and lubed all the pieces, and put them back together again. He did my bike maintenance for me, as well as the 18-speed upgrade.

A couple of years ago, I had John's Cyclery (in St. Albans, WV . . . my home town) rehab her -- she came from that shop, so I figured it was fitting. She needed new rubber, cleaning, etc. I ride her every once in a while -- not far, as I'm really stretched out on her. Her handlebars are extremely narrow -- they don't make them that narrow now. Also, there were no "women specific" designs back then, except for the step-through frame.

Here's my Dad with one of his bikes. This was taken in the late 1970s, most likely. I believe it was taken after (or before) a ride thrown in conjunction with the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta.

Pretty good lookin' bike legs for an old guy. There wasn't much in the way of cycling mufti available back then -- at least not in West Virginia -- so he biked in whatever he had. It worked, right? That's all that matters. I did the same thing . . . t-shirt and cutoffs. Helmet? What was that? I didn't own one. I also never carried a water bottle; didn't even know what a bottle cage was.

One thing West Virginia has aplenty is hills, so I sure did learn to climb. I lived at the top of a deceptively steep hill, in fact, a real ass-kicker. Momentum? Hah. Forget it. Poplar Street looks flat for the first few hundred yards, but it's really a very slight incline. Pretty soon, you start going up. And up. And up. And what initially looked like a gentle rise soon turns into a very steep climb. And just when you see the top and think you might make it after all -- and you try to give a big push -- it gets steeper still.

I tried biking up it again, last summer, during a visit to attend an "all-class" high school reunion. Fit as I am now, it still kicks my ass. I have to work a lot harder, at 52, to keep the same level of fitness I had at 24, without really working at it. Life's unfair that way, isn't it?

Dad's gone now; he passed away in 1997 after a 5-year stint in a nursing home. I think he was (barely) able to bike into the early 1990s . . . he developed a Parkinson's-like disorder that caused him to fall a lot. It also eventually caused dementia. I am sad that he had to give up biking, sad that he lost the ability to communicate. If he were still alive today, and still cycling, he would just love my ti bike, and would be pleased with all of biking's technological advances. (I'd have to keep him away from tinkering with it, too.) He'd also love a lot of my biking routes, as they take me out into the country, on jaunts very much like the ones I used to go on with him.

I sometimes joke that if I ever wind up in a nursing home, I will insist upon having my bike put beside my bed, on a fluid trainer.

I hope it never really comes to that, of course. But if it ever does, I'm sure Dad would approve.

I Really Rock

Or I did this morning, at least . . . 14.5 miles in 1 hour. That's a 14.5 pace, 3 days after giving blood. Not bad. The old lady's still got it.

Yeah, I did feel my reduced blood cell count at the top of the hills. Oof. At one point, I thought I was going to start seeing stars. I recovered quickly, though. You need not search the local paper for reports of a downed cyclist.

About 3 years ago, I wanted to be a solid "C" rider. I think I'm there . . . with some excursions into "B" rider territory, depending on mood and energy level. Now, I hasten to add, that's "C" and "B" rider status for rolling/hilly terrain, a la Lancaster County, PA (we are members of the county's bike club). Here are their ride ratings:

A Pace: 16+ mph and up

B Pace: 13 up to 16 mph

C Pace: 11 up to 13 mph

D Pace: Up to 11 mph

I am, I fear, still too slow for the Capital City Cyclists of Tallahassee, FL, whose web site I recently perused:

A: Race (>21 mph)

B: Fast (18-21 mph)

C: Medium (15-18 mph)

D: Slow (12-14 mph)

EZ: Easy Rider (<12 mph)

YOYO: You're On Your Own

To be fair, we are all faster when riding on the flats. However, FL rides are subject to brutal headwinds. Hubby and I biked in Stuart, FL last January. Our rides averaged 15 at best, because of fierce headwinds right next to the ocean and the St. Lucie River. Doing 18 - 19 on the flats is no fun when you are OUTBOUND, as you're just going to have to turn around and head back in . . .

This morning's ride, unlike yesterday morning, did not feature breakfast. I had time only for a quick mocha at Starbucks, as I had to get to my 8:30 PT appointment. My kneecap is loosening up nicely, but my shoulder is not really any better.

I have biked 303 miles so far this month -- not bad, but I usually do about 400/month in the summer. I am not likely to make up the difference between now and Thursday, so I will probably wrap up the month at a little under 350. Mileage total for 2005 so far is 1,113.

Deer Scatter

I love the world at 5:30 in the morning. It's the best time of the day to ride. Really. Even when Starbucks doesn't open until 6:30 . . .

I knew it was going to be a hot stinker of a day today, so I got up at 5 am (yes, on a Saturday, I know) to get a ride in before my WW meeting. I did have the option of riding to WW, but then I would have been late for my blood donation appointment . . . and it probably would not have been a great idea to bike home right afterward.

The ride was routine, for the most part. I did encounter some deer on Seneca Road, though. I thought there were only a couple, but as I drew (cautiously!) closer, I saw there were more. A whole lot more. Six of 'em, in fact.

Fortunately, they scattered when I yelled, "Go! Go!" Away from me, and away from the road. Whew. Colliding with a deer would ruin my day, most likely.

I arrived at my friendly Starbucks (one of 5 within a 3-mile radius of my house) at 6:20 am. They weren't open. Rats. Another girl was waiting for it to open, so I got in line.

A couple of guys from the PetsMart got in line behind me.

Another couple of folks arrived and got in line behind them. Etc.

There were about 10 people in line by the time the door opened (assisted by one of the PetsMart guys, who went up to the door, pointed at his watch and hollered, "Yo, man, I need my fix!"

Ya think maybe they need to open earlier on Saturday?

An iced mocha and a marble loaf slice later, I climbed back on my bike and headed home. It was still only about 65 degrees, and I was a mite chilly for about half a mile.

I did 17.65 miles at a 14.4 pace. Not bad. Knee behaved itself, too. I think this taping thing may actually be working . . . as well as the stretching and strengthening.

Haulin' Ass

I did a pretty fast ride this evening (for me, anyway) . . . 14.5 pace, 12 miles. Must have been the stress. Post-work rides are great to blow off the frustrations of the day. Seems the more frustrations, the faster I go.

Actually, today was more tedious than anything else. I have spent 2 days preparing for a lunchtime roundtable discussion that I am "facilitating." Funny how it takes 16 hours to get ready for 1 hour of leading.

I committed a traffic mistake this evening that almost made me crash. I was rounding a traffic circle -- a very small one in a shopping center, 2 lanes around. I moved into the circle when traffic cleared to my left. As I do in the morning, I hugged the inner lane, intending to shoot straight off onto the main road.

Bad mistake. I'll not do that again. The car ahead of me moved from the right lane to the left, turning in front of me to move further counterclockwise around the circle -- and cutting me off. Yikes. I didn't crash into him, but just barely. I erred, but so did he.

Next time, I'll stay in the outer lane. I tend not to do this, only because Maryland drivers do not know how to negotiate traffic circles . . . I think it's because roundabouts are still too new. I guess I have been figuring that if I stay to the left, I'm not spinning around 2 lanes, only 1, and will not cross two lanes of oncoming cars (who oftentimes don't understand that they are supposed to yield to traffic coming from the left).

Also, I do most of my riding these days at 5:30 am. Traffic is pretty light at this time -- nonexistent, in fact, except for the occasional earlybird. The aforementioned circle is nearly always deserted.

I guess I had forgotten how crazy it can be at 7 pm.

Anyway -- I learned something, escaped unscathed, and will be doubly careful on my next trip through that roundabout.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, it was a lovely ride. I think I did a good job of blowing off all my stress. Time for bed now. My snifter of Grand Marnier is empty . . .

Same Ol' Same Ol'

The weather is great right now . . . that is, if you like your days moist and humid. Ugh. When it gets this bad, I ride only in the mornings.

I've been scooting out the door about 5:30 am these past few days. Although the air is decidedly moist, at least the temps are cool -- about 68 or so, when I start my ride. Not too bad, and I am, at least, finally wearing my summer biking gear.

A few wildlife sightings: I surprised a groundhog yesterday morning, just off the shoulder of Rt. 28. He was feasting on berries that had fallen from a tree. I hollered, "Hello, Groundhog!" at him as I passed (which may, in point of fact, have caused him to waddle off a tad more quickly).

I also saw a deer right by the road a few days ago; he was feeding on some sort of foliage. He ran away as I passed by. (I'm grateful that he ran the other way, and not in front of my bike.)

No bunnies yet. Darnit.

I have been faithfully taping my knee. I did the equivalent of a half metric on Sunday morning (32 miles) with no problems. AJ, my physical therapist, says my knee is loosening up a bit. It is still tight, however, and will always be tighter than the norm. That's just my default setting (all over, I'm afraid).

No riding tomorrow morning; got to get in to work early.

I'm now riding about 100 miles a week. My pace is down a bit at the moment, after last week's illness. I am just now beginning to feel up to par again, gut-wise, since catching that nasty virus. My pace has been in the high 12s and low 13s, rather than on or about 14. I imagine a rest day tomorrow will help some, and I should be more energetic in a day or two.

No Longer Ill . . .

. . . so I did an early morning bike ride.

Man, was it humid! No in-between here in the Mid-Atlantic. We went from March to July overnight.

But, y'know? I'll take the heat over the cold. Now that I have less padding, heat doesn't bother me as much.

This morning I trundled over to Starbucks at Fallsgrove. A bit slower than usual, owing to the fact that I was flat on my back just 3 days ago. I tested my ability to handle dairy products, and I'm proud to say I passed the test. I think I'm pretty much back to normal, tho' I will not eat my "usual" lunch again until next week. (The one I, er, "lost" on Monday, that is.)

I took Great Seneca back, hoping to see some bunnyrabbits. That road is a great place to spot them -- lots of foliage and tall grass. No bunnies, though, just lots of whizzing traffic. I biked in the road for a while, until aggressive drivers put me onto the sidepath. Note to self: go back via Route 28 next time. The Great Seneca sidepath is bumpier than it used to be (or I'm less tolerant of bumps), and it's filled with pedestrians who do unpredictable things (like jump the wrong way) when approached from behind by a cyclist, even one who politely proclaims her presence.

Stats: 12.95 miles, 12.9 pace. (I told you it was slow.)

Geez, Another Flat . . .

. . . on hubby's bike. He just got his bike back from the shop, with a brand-new Continental GatorSkin tire on the rear, and (of course) a new tube.

So, we go riding up in Thurmont this morning and he gets another flat. The rear tire, of course.

I hate fixing a flat on the rear tire. I can never figure out how to get the wheel back on quickly. Oh, I get it on, but not without a lot of cursing and struggling. I know there's a trick to it, but I've not learned it yet.

So, I guess were were, what? About 8 - 9 miles into the ride. Hubby says his rear tire sounds funny. It sure did. It was saying "Hisssss...."

Rats. Well, it happened on a nice concrete bridge, complete with a concrete retaining wall that served nicely as a shelf for my tire-changing tools. And we did manage to stop in the shade (it was in the 80s and humid, the first summery day we've had).

But. There was this tree across the way. It was shedding these stupid balls of fluff. Kinda like dandelion puffs, only larger.

They were accumulating on the bridge. And on me. And getting tangled in everything. I didn't notice them until about halfway through the tire change. I think the wind shifted, or something, sending those little hell-balls our way.

Also, bugs were buzzing my sweaty face. I was sneezing. And my nose was running. And my right eye was itching and runny. ll this while I was trying to change the #$%&* tire.

Can you tell I wasn't having much fun?

At least my handy-dandy zippy tire tool worked well, the spare tube worked (sometimes they don't), AND we had no more flats for the duration of the ride. And nothing else untoward happened. It was a lovely ride, actually, other than the flat.

What we did was do the X Ride (Thurmont/Emmitsburg) again -- the one we did a few weeks ago. But this time, we knew to turn RIGHT at Sixes Bridge Road. Total ride was about 24 miles. It was hot, and it was our first hot ride of the season, so both of us got a bit tired earlier than usual. We also had to go home, shower up, and go to Baltimore to check on the house renovation. So, while we could have taken Sixes Bridge Road outbound for a bit (we know where it goes now, and how to get back), we decided to save that for another day.

WW Jaunt

Surprise! No rain this morning, tho' it was predicted. It all moved north and east of here. New York and Philly are probably getting rained on, but not us.

I decided to bike to WW; it was my weigh-in day, first of the month. Afterward, I took a jaunt out Route 28. My therapist had taped my knee yesterday, so I figured I'd do a longish ride, to see how it felt.

It started hurting after about 17 miles or so. Not too bad, but in a slightly different place . . . more under the kneecap. I stopped at Starbucks at about mile 23. I got an iced mocha, and decided to take the tape off to see if that made a difference, better or worse.

It was worse. OK, so the tape does help some. I'm still a little early into my PT, so we shall see what stretching and increasing my kneecap mobility will do.

In the meantime, I've retaped my knee. Once I got home, it started hurting -- popping and twanging. It feels better taped, so I'm going to keep it that way for a while. I iced it for a bit, too.

<sigh> There may be a 'scope in my future. Time will tell.

I ended up doing 26.66 miles at a 14.0 pace. Not bad, considering part of it was on scraped streets. They are re-doing the intersection at Clopper and 124. Right now, the surface has been milled, and it's a bit bumpy to ride on.

Creature feature:

• A fox ran across my path, just two houses down from mine. Right on my street. Wow! He was a big one, too.
• A huge woodpecker flew across Seneca road, right in front of me. I don't know if he was the elusive Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, or the more common Pileated Woodpecker. I didn't get that much time to observe him, as he flew quickly across the road and disappeared into the trees. I suspect the latter, though. What are the chances of me seeing a nearly-extinct bird?

Smooth Shifting

Finally ... my bike shifts perfectly.

I had a great ride this morning; fortunately, it decided not to rain. It was cloudy, but I've never let that stop me. If it rains, I get wet. I must not be the Wicked Witch of the West -- I've never melted into a puddle.

It's June, according to the calendar, but not according to the weather. I biked in a wind vest, full jersey, and armwarmers. At least it was warm enough for shorts.

I put my newly-adjusted bike through its paces. No derailleur noise, no problems shifting into, and staying in, the big chainring. I did a 14.0 pace for about 13.5 miles or so. I had to make it quick, as hubby had a 9:30 meeting this morning. No Starbucks stop (actually, I did stop, but only because I had forgotten to bring a water bottle).

I have discovered, to my delight, that my bicycle actually WILL trigger traffic circuits. I did not think it had enough metal mass to trip quad circuits (this was based on experiences up in Lancaster County). After some correspondence on a local bike list, I gave it a try this morning, planting myself and my bike directly across the center of the buried wires. Yippee! The light at Longdraft changed immediately for me. Now, this is a light that will NEVER change unless the circuit is tripped. I've run the red light more than once . . . now I don't have to.

I'm thinking I need to start challenging some of my most cherished beliefs. If I can trigger traffic lights, who knows what else I'm capable of?? <snicker>

Body count: something completely unidentifiable. Yuck.

I Got My Baby Back

Just got my bike back from the shop this evening.

I've been having a recurring derailleur problem since January . . . can't shift into the big chainring, and the middle ring clatters a lot in lower gears. Matt says it's working fine now. I'll take it on a test-ride tomorrow.

I also need to give it a good cleaning. Matt oiled it, cleaned the brake pads, and did some other mechanical stuff, but I need to clean up the frame. The Bloomin' Metric sure did a number on it, in terms of dirt and slop.

It is supposed to rain tomorrow, but not until later in the day. I've already laid out my bike clothes, and the alarm is set for 5:15. As in 5:15 am. Am I nuts, or what?