Cycling Pod Casts

I recently got a new mac computer and an ipod and what can I say it is fun fun fun.
You would not believe the amount of cycling information that is out there in Pod Cast form.

Chris Carmichael - website has some cool training podcasts you can use while on your trainer - called do a stage of the tour stay at home. These initially are free when the tour (the tour being the Tour de France - what other "tour" is there" is broadcast and can now be downloaded. They provide a good workout and are pretty funny with comments by Bob Roll.

Iamplify - has many pod workouts you can download I have several on my ipod but have not yet had a chance to use them. The workouts are led by Matthew Reyes.

The Fredcast - Just a great place to catch up on the latest news in cycling, race results, etc.

The Spokesmen - A podcast on bicycle issues discussed in a roundtable format with well know folks from the bicycle world.

The Bike Tourist - Live vicariously through other folks tours. Last week he featured Tim and Cindi Travis who have been on a tour for five years. Bike touring has become their life not just a vacation. They have a great website Down The Road.

From the UK - another reader of the ibob list (Bridgestone Owners Bunch) suggested I check out this one. The Bike List

No Spin Class

Okay just thought I would vent.
Yesterday after going to the Fremont Sunday Market we stopped by Mieko's Gym in Lake City which is where I work out. I just quickly asked our buddy at the front desk about signing up for spin class in the morning because it sucks to get up and go and have all the bikes be full. I signed up and set the alarm to go off at 5:15 am giving me a few minutes to get dressed and drive over there. I walked towards the back of the gym and spotted the spin bikes - only 2 had handlebars and saddles on them and only 6 bikes were there instead of the usual 12. We asked at the front desk and no explanation was available as to why no bikes and why didn't they say something when I stopped by yesterday to sign up. Of course I got in a workout - did an hour on the eliptical trainer and then spent some time stretching before having to head off to work. I just was hacked because since I thought I was going to spin class I hadn't brought my ipod with me so I had to listen to very bad muzak at the gym. I may be looking into getting a punch card for spinning at prorobics again soon. I'm planning to ride to work 2-3 times a week and go to the gym on the other mornings.

SIR 2007 200K Brevet

Ride #1 completed towards the quest to ride Paris Brest Paris. We completed the 200 kilometer 126 mile ride in about 12 hours. This ride is a challenge starting in Kent Washington going down towards Tacoma along the Browns Point area and then moving out towards Mt. Rainier National Park with a turnaround point at Greenwater before descending back down 410 Mud Mountain Dam, and Climbing out of the Valley back to Kent. We arrived at the start line about 15 minutes before the scheduled start we got the bags and wheels on the bike before going to sign our waivers at the sign up desk. Just as we were finishing registering the huge crowd of riders rolled out never to be seen again. We headed out about 10 minutes later and I quickly found out I was overdressed with my heart rate hitting 170 and my bike not dropping into the granny gear (since the bike had only been reassembled yesterday upon returning from Spain this wasn't a huge surprise) I got the front derailleur adjusted so the rest of the days climbs would be kinder to me and my heart. I didn't have a chance to shed my Craft wind stopper long sleeve craft undershirt until much later in the day would have been good to strip right there on the roadside (reminder to self - that shirt should only be worn in the coldest windiest of weather. A quick stop at the first control a grocery store in the Brown's Point area to get our cards signed and have a bio break - alas the bio break room was out of order? I went down the strip mall to the diner and wish I could have stayed for some hash browns and coffee. I almost did stay as I couldn't get out of the rest room - oh that sign next to the light switch says how to open the door - why not just fix the door knob for gawds sakes instead of giving me an apoplexy. We headed out towards the second control which is at the Black Diamond Bakery - a popular destination we got happy St. Pa tricks Day Cookies and Chocolate Milk and I shedded the dreaded Craft undershirt. We started catching up with familiar faces from past rides including one familiar face on a not familiar bike - one of the guys we had helped out on the Olympia 200k with tubes had a new Heron - it was very spiffy with lots of carefully chosen parts. I said Hi to him and reminded him who we were. He said thanks again and if the ride went well for him all tube debts would be re payed. Talking with another rider on the Greenwater climb made it go much quicker but I did take some time to observe the damage done by the windstorm last year there were lots of trees down in the forest and the river was sporting a new berm just before reaching Greenwater. I also stopped to put on my rain gear - I looked mighty fetching in my black and gray illumilite rain coat and my rainlegs. Patty Austed wanted to mug me for my rainlegs - they keep the top of your thighs from getting wet but because they are chaps they don't cause you to overheat. Sometimes I catch the straps on the saddle which can be annoying but the protection they give is well worth this minor hindrance. We scored at Greenwater - because the earlier hoards of riders had cleared out their packaged in plastic triangle sandwiches the staff at the Greenwater quickie mart had gone next door to the restaurant and bought some ready made sandwiches just an hour before we got there and they were yummy. The rain picked up which made the descent down to Enumclaw a bit treacherous but we made it to the Circle K control with time on the clock and time for a scary Boston creme pie cappachino from a machine - it hit the spot and we headed out for one more big climb out of the Valley and back to Kent. We arrived at the ride organizers house at 7:00 p.m - changed into dry clothes and enjoyed the chili feed and Guinness beer (It was St. Patty's day after all). I also got a chance to chat a bit more with the riders we rode with today and met Knox Gardner I had seen his blog before but hadn't met him. We were home around 9:00 pm and in bed by 10:00 pm. I'm feeling tired today in a good way but managed to get some stuff done around the house and will go to an early morning spin class tomorrow and need to get back to weight training my arms are also sore.

OC Book Report - Spain Book

When I travel I like to bring along a book that will educate me and entertain me about the area I am traveling to. For this trip one of the attorneys at the law firm I work at suggested a book called Driving Over Lemons: An Optomist in Spain by Christ Stewart.

Chris Stewart an english sheep shearer who also once played drums for the group Genesis purchases a rundown farm near Grenada Spain the adventure begins. Though this wasn' t set in the area of Spain where I was traveling I really enjoyed it and it brought me some insite into the Spainards obsesion with all things pig. My husband thought long and hard about bringing home a cured ham hock including the piggies little foot and then realized we didn't have enough room to pack it in with the bike but he wasn't too worried about us being busted by customs with the little piggie.

The book is available at amazon.com

Happy Hour Cycling

Don't you think it's time we all became more physically active? Beginning this month, I and a few friends will be riding five miles each day. If any of you would like to join our Bike Club, please let me know and we can make arrangements to swing by and pick you up!

I think it would be appropriate to ride somewhere between 4:00 and 7:00pm. We can call it happy hour, if it will make you say "Yes".

Buenos Dias from Espana

Further news from Spain - Greg and Ruth Sneed take the Bull by the Horns

We had a great time at the Vaulta de Valencia and got to draft Alessandro Pettachi to the start of the race. We watched the start and then headed up to the feed zone to get another view of the racers and to snag some souvenirs. We got several musette bags one even had a bannana in it which Bob ate along with a few containers of Enervite which is much nicer to suck down then gu. The next day we rode through the feed zone again and scavenged several more water bottles I almost wrecked when Bob stopped in front of me to grab an eusketel bottle he had spotted on a rock. The riding here is great but its kinda a strange place with lots of retired brits over here every other place is a faux british pub and our hotel had a british breakfast every morning I am so ready for pancakes and some yummy american sausages sorry I´m not a fan of bangers. Our friends Greg and Ruth have joined us so along with a guy from Stratford upon Avon we tackled the climb to Gudalest which has many switchbacks and then a screaming descent. I´m enjoying the riding over here and we will ride one of the cols again this week before heading back to the land of rain. I´m feeling more psyched now about the upcoming brevet season.