The Orangecomo Adventures

GRAND FONDO SEATTLE

2011-03-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

Okay I'm registered and raising money now I just need to start riding my bike to get in shape for it. This year on my 44th Birthday I'll be doing a fundraising ride for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Survivorship Program. We spent alot of time at Seattle Cancer Center Alliance which is part of the Fred Hutch connection. We are so lucky in Seattle to have access to some of the best cancer care in the world. I can't imagine having to add the stress of traveling to the mix of dealing with cancer or not being able to travel and not get the best care available. SCCA was busy with families going through this journey in life called Cancer - some got lucky and made it through but will carry the cancer experience with them always - others not so lucky and now have a big chunk missing out of their lives So motivate me to ride and get back in shape and donate to the cause.
Amy Harman Donation Page.

Kayaking in Belize

2011-01-05T17:44:00.000-08:00

During the dark times in Seattle - I venture to warmer climates. In December I took my adventurous self to Belize. With no Bob to pack up the Klepper and to really go off the beaten path I had to settle for traveling with a group and I did pretty good. I booked my trip through Island Expeditions. My trip was their Paradise Islands package with the Maya add on. We spent most of our time on Tobacco Caye and South Water Caye. Both I liked but Tobacco Caye with the deck over the beach and the hamock with my name on it was a great place to sip rum punch, read a good book and just escape from work and the stresses of my daily life.

Retro-Rama Show

2010-11-30T16:30:00.001-08:00

Retro-Rama Show
Originally uploaded by Frauenfelder

Was looking for information on some of the art I own and found this picture of Bob with one of the pieces. - Miss you Boo.

Motivating to get Back on the Bike

2010-11-30T14:11:00.000-08:00

I have beautiful bicycles and haven't been riding any of them - and have been lacking motivation to get back out there. I've lost some fitness, gained a few lb's, and its Winter now in Seattle which also brings the motivation level down but then I come across a quote like this.

"Talking about bicycles," said my friend, "I have been through the four ages. I can remember a time in early childhood when a bicycle meant nothing to me: it was just part of the huge meaningless background of grown-up gadgets against which life went on. Then came a time when to have a bicycle, and to have learned to ride it, and to be at last spinning along on one's own, early in the morning, under trees, in and out of the shadows, was like entering Paradise. That apparently effortless and frictionless gliding--more like swimming than any other motion, but really most like the discovery of a fifth element--that seemed to have solved the secret of life. Now one would begin to be happy. But, of course, I soon reached the third period. Pedalling to and fro from school (it was one of those journeys that feel up-hill both ways) in all weathers, soon revealed the prose of cycling. The bicycle, itself, became to me what his oar is to a galley slave."

"But what was the fourth age?" I asked.

"I am in it now, or rather I am frequently in it. I have had to go back to cycling lately now that there's no car. And the jobs I use it for are often dull enough. But again and again the mere fact of riding brings back a delicious whiff of memory. I recover the feelings of the second age. What's more, I see how true they were--how philosophical, even. For it really is a remarkably pleasant motion. To be sure, it is not a recipe for happiness as I then thought. In that sense the second age was a mirage. But a mirage of something."

"How do you mean?", said I.

"I mean this. Whether there is, or whether there is not, in this world or in any other, the kind of happiness which one's first experiences of cycling seemed to promise, still, on any view, it is something to have had the idea of it. The value of the thing promised remains even if that particular promise was false--even if all possible promises of it are false."

--C.S. Lewis, Present Concerns. "Talking About Bicycles."

Hopefully the New Year will bring me back to Stage 2 and the fever will return- It's hard to think I have lost that love also - I think it is only dorment.

Learning a new Lingo

2010-08-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

Everytime you take on a new sport there is a new lingo to learn. Bob and I had spent a few vacations paddling - 11 days on Glacier Bay for our honeymoon and 8 nights in Baja for his 50th birthday just a few months before his cancer diagnosis. So the new year found me recovering from losing him and yet seeking to stay connected and honor him in some way. I also did one thing they say not to do when you loose a loved one and that is to make a major move. Well its not like I moved out of state or even across county lines - just 100 blocks north to a different condo development and now have a few ammenities I was lacking before. Best of all fresh walls to make fresh memories and not see him at his worst and have some breathing space.
Okay back to the new Lingo - our kayaking had been done in our big A$$ Klepper folding double which is an awesome boat but meant I would always have to find someone to paddle with and would be folding and unfolding it a lot which is a project in itself. I found a new home for Bob's single which is also a big A$$ boat (Bob was a big guy) and is now being used by my friend Mike who has the stature to paddle it.

I set off to find myself a boat -
a few requirements, weight - 50 lbs or under
cost - couldn't break the bank
Stability - I'm mostly a beginner but wanted a boat that could grow with me

Okay now I'm feeling like I should have been blogging all along about this process of boat shopping etc. Went to boat demo days at REI and Kayak Accademy, ruled out thermoformed boats due to weight and ruled out a new fiberglass / Kevlar / carbon boat due to cost. I did look at Craigs list but wasn't finding what I was looking for.

I bought a composite plastic boat from a company in BC Canada through REI - The boat is fairly light seems a good fit. I have now been on several overnight trips with it and am pretty happy with my choice, I feel safe in it and have no lack of space for camping gear etc in it and it moves along at a fairly steady pace though due to my lack of experience it is hard to keep up with folks in zippier racier boats that have more experience but I'm not out there to win races.

Out of and Into the Boat

2010-05-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine ran a short session to make sure we were safe to go out on the big water with him in a few weeks.

Yes - I have done numerous kayaking trips but most were with Bob in the Klepper which basically unless you were hit with a rogue wave you couldn't tip over

He required us to rent dry suits - so we would be comfortable in Lake Washington if it took awhile to get back into the boat. Dry Suits are pretty cool contraptions which basically allow you to push the season on water sports and if some thing did happen should save you from hypothermia. Dry suits are not cheap so unless I start doing a lot of crossings I'll be in my spray jacket, farmer jane wetsuit and pfd while out kayaking.

He explained to the group the process of the boat rentry on shore and we all practiced tucking a foot into the boat so it wouldn't float away, and blowing up the paddle float. One by one we went out on the water with Saul or with Roy.

After you capsize your kayak you need to un do your spray skirt, surface and flip your boat over. After your boat is upright - attach your paddle float to your paddle (a paddle leash is a good idea) and blow it up. Then you run the end of the paddle without the float through the bungee cords on the stern of the boat. This creates an outrigger stabalizing the boat and also gives you something to crawl up on. You climb up facing the back of the boat and slide your feet into the hatch and then roll back into position and sit down. After that you breath a sigh of relief and pump the water out of your boat.

When I returned the drysuit on Sunday I rented a boat and went out to the Arboreteum for a few hours. Sunday was one of those days which are why I chose to live in Seattle.

Meet Up to Move Forward

2010-03-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

I know Lance Armstrong says to Livestrong and encourages everyone to get out and stay in shape but when you are the primary care-giver it isn't easy to leave when all you want to do is spend every minute with that person that they have left. I would take a break every day to take a short walk read the paper and have a coffee just to get away. Friends sometimes would come by and stay with Bob so I could have a break or they would take me out to lunch. I lost Bob back in November and have been trying to get back to my / our pre cancer life. So I find myself this spring out of shape, not really feeling like getting back on the bike though in the past the Need for the Bike has gotten me through rough times it's hard to go riding without my compadre. I joined Meetup to make sure I get out and keep busy. I spent a nice weekend away with the meet up folks and met a few folks also in transitional points in their lives. I did take our Klepper Kayak with me and assembled it and paddled it with other folks - just 2 years ago we were paddling the boat in Baja Mexico for Bob's 50th Birthday and it hadn't been out since. So good to get back in the water even if I don't find myself back on the bike yet - I'm moving forward making some new friends and keeping busy. I would recommend Meet up as a great way to get back out there and move forward with your life.

Missing Bob and Moving Forward

2010-02-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

A full size safe - one of the many surprises Bob left behind.

I miss my honey, I miss his company and his wit. This was so not the plan but the plans got changed and I'm on my own again. No longer have the go to guy - no longer able to plan trips without booking the single supplement or sharing with friends, no longer able to enter married on forms there is no blank for widowed just a blank for single. I want to interrupt people when they are talking about feeling lucky about not being out there trying to find that go to person that person with whom you share your life and tell them to feel blessed and not to take a day for granted because it can all turn around on your in a heartbeat. At least cancer gives you a little bit of time to put your ducks in a row, to adjust to the idea of the person not being around but you also get caught up in being the caretaker and having to go to all the appointments and seeing the person that you loved go through a horrible transformation from someone so big and strong to someone unable to even walk around the apartment on their own and it happens right before your eyes. One of the hardest things to deal with was the uncertainty of the future with a stage 4 diagnoses you know what the future holds which means you can't make the changes in your life that you had expected to make. The offer on the house was pulled and the money needed to be reserved just in case not enough money was coming in, or insurance didn't cover enough. Trips that we normally would have done could not be done because he wasn't and wouldn't be up to them anymore. We did have a nice trip for my parents anniversary before he started chemo but he reserved his energy and was not his usual self. But I was so glad to have memories of that trip and one last kayaking experience with my honey on the bio luminescent bay in Peurto Rico.
So I have started to go through his stuff and what stuff he had and now I have - he continues to make me laugh and make me happy with memories and the surprises that I find. Several of his bikes have moved on to new homes his co-motion has already traveled to Israel and his Jack Taylor is back in the hands of a brit and will be in the Jack Taylor show at Seattle Bike Expo.
Next Saturday February 13 I'm holding a celebration of his life and showing his collected works at the ART NOT TERMINAL GALLERY.

And me - I'm moving forward with some of the plans we had before the cancer struck - a new place to live with a garage to store the toys not the mid century modern place we were going to buy but a new place with a bit more room to call my own. A few trips on the agenda, a trip to Texas for my niece's wedding and maybe a cycling trip to Wisconsin over what would have been our 5th wedding anniversary.

Robert Louis Magyar

2009-11-20T16:27:00.000-08:00

Robert Louis Magyar
March 31, 1958 – Nov. 17, 2009

To the living, I am gone
To the sorrowful, I will never return
To the angry, I was cheated
But to the happy, I am at peace
And to the faithful, I have never left
I cannot speak, but I can listen
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard
So as you stand upon the shore
Gazing at the beautiful sea, remember me
As you look in awe at a mighty forest
And its grand majesty, remember me
Remember me in your hearts,
In your thoughts, and the memories of the
Times we loved, the times we cried, the
Battle we fought and the times we laughed
For if you always think of me, I will
Have never gone.

Pendleton

2009-09-21T16:32:00.001-07:00

Sept 2009 047
Originally uploaded by orangecomo

The newest addition to the OC family
Pendleton was found in a couch at the dump - fostered for a few weeks with Abby at our vets office. I had let the vet know that our old kitty needed a new friend and also did not want to be kitty less as the oc Polenta is now 15 and has failing kidneys.

Cover Girl

2009-06-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hey There -
I'm a Star :-)
Well in my own mind anyhow.
At the Livestrong Challenge Nissan had a set up so you could get your picture on the cover of Bicycling Magazine. Note I'm sporting my Team Fatty Jersey.

Team Fatty - Fat Cyclist was the largest fundraiser at the event we raised over $140,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

I really enjoyed the event and tis a good reason for riding and raising some money.

Live Strong Seattle 2009

2009-03-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

So this year Live Strong comes to Seattle - I'm registered to ride with Team Fat Cyclist. Team Fat Cyclist is the brain child of Elden Nelson who is dealing with his wife Susan's valiant fight with Cancer by blogging and raising money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Elden's blog can be found at Fat Cyclist I loved his recent entries about becoming a supporting member of Team Chipolte and how for $1,000.00 you get all the Chipolte burritos you could eat in a year. There are also Fat Cyclist Jerseys available at Twinsix. Please help me with my mission as a member of Team Fatty and donate to the cause. Click on my Live Strong banner to get to my donation page.

How many jerseys are enough jerseys?

2008-07-11T12:07:00.001-07:00

Ok so its like that old Saturday Night Live Episode - How much water do you put in a Nuclear Reactor?

We are prepping to move so in going through the closet I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the jersey count and I've even given a few away. It's fun to take extra jerseys on tour and give them away to tour participants from other area's one of my Zoka Coffee jerseys is now being sported in the UK. Anyhow I've been trying to be good and not add to the move chaos by being a good american consumer. But today I found new cool jerseys on-line that I had never ever seen before. I think this one might have to be added to the collection at some point. I'd like some feedback on Funkier sportsware if you have any of it - do you like it? Funkier is an Isreal company - here a page with many of their jerseys on it.

A Bicycle Bag made for Vino

2008-07-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

This company Inertia Designs was brought to my attention today on the Randon discussion list on Google. The list for all things randoneuring. Looks like they have some really nice bags though I usually like to see bags in person before buying - you would be surprised at how many bike bags the Rando cyclist goes through before finding out what works for them - for me its a Carradice Barley and a mini Giles Berthoud bag. Anyhow I digress back to Inertia Designs - and the bag I might have to have from them for wine country jaunts. They sell a rack top bag that fits 4 bottles of wine with padding and this is all the bag is designed to do. So if you see me out riding in the Rattlesnake Hills ask me about my newest bike bag.

Tandem in Baja Mexico

2008-04-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

We escaped the snow and took our Tandem to Baja Mexico. We packed up 5 bags to make the trip we were an impressive site to behold we had our tandem, we had camping equipment, we had food, we had camera equipment. We arrived in Sunny Loretto it was snowing at the Seattle Airport when we caught the flight at 6:30 a.m. - we changed planes in LA and by 3:00 in the afternoon we were checked into the Oasis Motel. A few days were spent checking out the local sites, assembling the tandem - giving it a test run, drinking some margarita's and figuring out the plan for our adventure.

We launched the tandem for the 8 mile crossing to isle Carmen - there we found porpoises, sea lions, sea turtles, hermit crabs and for more fun we went to Isle Danzante where we found a few whales, lots of cactus, a cool hike. A push into the headwinds brought us back to the Inn at Loretto Bay a very posh place to spend a last day in the sun.

Oh did I mention this Tandem is a Kayak? Our trusty Klepper now needs to be washed up and put away until its next adventure - maybe the Queen Charlottes, the Broken Group or another winter trip to Baja.

Our Trusty Klepper in Glacier Bay Alaska - I'll post a picture of it in Baja soon.

What the Heck is PladAdet?

2008-02-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

We picked up a new bike magazine ROAD and it had an insert in it on for Hincapie's house of dreams. This actually sounds pretty cool its near Saluda North Carolina - just across the border from Spartenburg South Carolina which I've actually heard of.

The thing is my folks want to do another family vacation for their 5oth wedding anniversary - not too far from their home in Florida and this area would fit the bill. Stuff for my non-riding family to do and sounds like some good riding for my spouse and I.

So if this ends up being the place we choose - I'll give you a report. In the meantime - its something geeky cycling related for you folks to check out.

PLADADET

Inspiration for winter cycling

2008-01-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

I'm just happy that we are around the bend on the darkness in Seattle and I will soon be motivated to start putting those miles on the bike. I don't think this is going to be a big mileage year for me - but then again who knows maybe we will.

Jill up in Alaska is motivated to ride right now - she is training for Iditabike - yep thats right. She posted some great shots to her blog of the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska - we visited there before heading out for 11 days of kayaking on Glacier bay in 2005. It's a much different view then we had on the 6th of July.

Check out her blog and wish her well on her crazy journey

http://arcticglass.blogspot.com/

SUPER SPECIAL SUPER RANDONNEUR

2008-01-04T11:45:00.001-08:00

We picked out a new Super Randonneur Medal for the ACP to provide us SUPER SPECIAL RANDONNEURS - ie the GIRLS OF RUSA or for the RUSA GANGSTERS.

The Cyclists Dream Couch

2007-12-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

Scarabike, a bicycle producing company - which offers customized products -presented a sofa and a stool made of bicycle seats.

From 2007 Tokyo Designer’s Week.

I found this on Marlow Harris's website unusuallife. It's pretty cool.

Ben Kweller @ Neumos - Seattle, Wa

2007-11-29T12:56:00.001-08:00

Ben Kweller @ Neumos - Seattle, Wa
Originally uploaded by Crickontour

Of course being the NPR junkie - I discovered this guy through World Cafe instead of through the normal channels. This was an interesting show - it was put on by Miller Beer and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Part of the show involved interviewing Ben and asking him about growing up in a small Texas town and getting his first record contract at 15 - he is now 26 and looks about 17.
After the show we got to meet Ben, I told him that he would be a fun guest at dinner and would keep us all entertained about his alternate career choice a very important fisherman or a VIF.

2007-10-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween - Pumpkins and Orange Bikes for the Holliday

Last night we rode around Seattle but did not see any ghosts or goblins but this morning there was a giant bannana at the espresso stand and a very small lion came to the workplace.

When I was a kid I wanted to be a sailor when I grew up.

The Wheels on the Bike go Round Round Round

2007-10-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

No they Do Not!!!

Somebody had way too much time on their hands to do this to a bicycle.

Virtual Interbike - 2007 - saddles.

2007-09-28T15:09:00.001-07:00

Interbike - 2007 - saddles.
Originally uploaded by McBomb

Have you ever been to Interbike? For those of you not familiar its the big cycling trade show held every year in Las Vegas. I'm truly scared of these saddles. I've been a few times helping out my friend Charlie he runs Draftmaster and ATOC. You can also virtually attend Interbike - it used to be the exhibitors did not want you snapping photos at their booths but now I think they realized all the folks like me are waiting with baited breath about the new products for next year. Some of my fellow bloggers are attending in person this year and blogging reports check out the velo orange blog for the latest on what he is going to stock at the store including some odd folding bikes. David Bernstein at the fredcast is also attending Interbike and has posted some podcasts from the show including interviews about new products from Garmin - yes the new Edge 705 will be out soon. Sheldon Brown also has his Interbike report up on his website. I'm also excited about some of Raleigh's new bikes including a new touring and single speed. No I'm not in the market but the price is right and I'm sure to recommend them to some friends that are on a budget - like the Salsa Cassarole from last years Interbike.

Bookcrossing - an off the bike adventure by Orangecomo

2007-09-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

So you ask what is the story with this little running friendly book? He is the icon for Bookcrossing.com. Bookcrossing is a coolwebsite which allows you to track books which you set free in the world for others to enjoy. I've been part of bookcrossing for several years now and its pretty fun. Last night I released some books at Tully's near UVillage and today I got email back that someone had already claimed one of the books. Sure alot of books go missing never to be heard from again but the ones that do go into the hands of new readers are worth it. Last year at Bike Expo I let loose several bike related books in the beer garden - I haven't heard back from them but themed releases are part of bookcrossing also - leave your favorite Irish themed book at a bar on Saint Patricks Day its sure to find a new home with another Guiness drinker.

So if your bookshelf is full - Free your Books.

Bookcrossing is International and has Mirror sites in many countries.

PBP - Abandonee

2007-09-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let folks know about our ride. I'm very disapointed that we did not complete PBP 2007 but am very happy that we gave it a go. This years ride had the worst weather in the past 40 years. We are not the fastest riders to start with and throwing in the bad weather on the first night of the ride really slowed us down. I also had some sickness the first day out which also slowed us down. By the time we reached Tiniac we were just at the time cut off and in need of sleep. We caught some zzzz's and caught the train back from Rennes in the morning. We did about 400 km including the ride to Rennes so still got in a very challenging ride. I would like to attempt this ride again in 2011. The abandonment rate on the ride was 30% this year its normally 12%.

More information about our ride - it was an experience to remember. Paris Brest Paris is a one of a kind type of ride. Some of the highlights of our ride. The townfolk directing us around traffic circles so we wouldn't go down. Meeting many Randonneurs from around the world, our hotel was also the base of Rando Brazil - both Bob and I came home with Brazil Jerseys and a few Seattle Jerseys went to Brazil. Waiting in line at the start with Jack from San Francisco - what a wack job he is but he kept us relaxed and laughing. What do you expect from a guy that sends this out as his post PBP picture.
I also met Machka - Charlene from Canada who I knew from the list serves for several years - I think we would make good riding companions on one of these stupid rides because we covered about the same territory in the same amount of time. She completed PBP in 2003 - but alas this year the weather blew her and her friend from Down Under out of Contention also. Charlene's PBP report can be found at her website.

2007-08-18T03:39:00.000-07:00

Bonjour
Only 2 Days until the big ride - very cool here at our hotel is the Brazil contingent and we have met several russian riders also. I am very excited to begin the journey to becoming an anciennce

Excited about Paris

2007-08-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share some photo's I took on my last trip to France in 2002. I think on that trip I rode about the same amount of miles I plan on riding on this trip but over a 2 week period not 90 hours.

Olympia 300 km Brevet

2007-07-30T16:20:00.001-07:00

Getting my card signed at the second control of the day

Bob and Amy on the Road

We had a really good time riding this brevet on many familiar roads. I kept having strange feelings of dejavu - of course I've been here before which I had. One out and back that I hadn't ridden before was the route to Steamboat Island which gave us a chance to see many of the riders and figure out how many miles up on us they already had - sometimes its tough to be at the back of the pack but then we get to enjoy more of the brevet then they do and sometimes I think its just our control times that put us there. After Steamboat Island we enjoyed Omelette sandwiches at Subway which really hit the spot and kept us rolling for quite awhile. We caught up with Duane Wright at the next control and would ride with him and Ken Krichman who we found fixing a flat. We wished we would have had a camera along to take pictures of giving Ken shot blocks - he looked like a homeless man he had already had several flats and was a bit grimey and looking alittle wild.

Many of these rides roll through small towns with limited services (ie no nice grocery store) this ride the small grocery store that gets my "Nasty" award was in the small town of Rainier at mile 174 so not far from the finish we ate some yougart and filled our water bottles. The last few miles went quickly on some quiet side roads with a few steep descents that could have been a rude awakening if I hadn't been here before.

We finished the ride at around Midnight so were out for 17 hours - to complete 190 miles with about 7500 feet of climbing. The last 300 km ride we did took us the full 20 hours so you could say we are getting faster but I think this one was just a friendlier route without the Tahuya Hills.

Peg greeted us with some awesome local pizza - but then the Bob Brudvik came in to hang out and gave us the bad news about one of fellow Rando's - Steve Hameister was dead. All of us quickly went into a state of shock - Steve had helped Bob and I out on the 400 km this spring and had prerode the event with us. Just another reminder how short life can be sometimes. My thoughts are with Steve's family at this difficult time - his wry sense of humour will be missed he was a good road buddy. Here is a picture of us picnicking on the 400 km this spring. That's Steve in the orange looking a bit annoyed.

Photos from the 300 km courtesy of Greg Bleakney

Fit Doesn't Have to mean Thin

2007-07-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

Another interesting article from the NY Times (click the blog title to acess the article) - though I know as a cyclist less weight does make the hill climbing easier, the bigger riders take longer to get up the hill but always pass me on the way down. The article makes a point about there not being a "typical" body type for cyclists. I think this is true of the recreational cyclist but untrue of the racer set. For fun picture your cycling friends in a police style line up - could you pick them out as cyclists? Hint no looking for funny tan lines. One of my friends looks like he should be hanging with Babe the Blue Ox out chopping wood - not doing a 155 mile ride on his fixed gear bicycle.

80 Years Young and Riding PBP

2007-07-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

One of my co-workers has actually figured out what I'm up to and forwarded me an article in the NY Times today about LeRoy Varga who is also riding PBP this year. I'll be 40 and he will be 80. My Dad's comments on this was "Holy Moly" now thats what I call an Iron Man.
Here is the Text of the Article

Many years ago, LeRoy Varga took a bike ride.

Using an old, gray, single-gear bike given to him by a neighbor who had gone off to join the Army, he left his home here in northern New Jersey and headed off one morning for a summer place his aunt and uncle ran in the Catskills.

He left at dawn. He got there before sundown. It was about 125 miles away. He was 12 years old.

“I don’t know,” he says, thinking back. “It was just something like Mount Everest. It was there, and you felt you had to do it.”

In August, Mr. Varga will take another bike ride. It’s known as the Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur, and it begins outside Versailles, then winds through the French countryside to the port city of Brest and back to Paris. It covers 750 miles. It has to be completed in 90 hours. He’s 80 years old.

It’s hard to be sure what to make of Mr. Varga, a retired mechanical engineer with three children and five grandchildren, who lives in the same house, full of ceramic busts of family members made years ago by his mother, that he and his wife have lived in since 1963.

Uncanny bionic combination of good genes and epic willpower, or slightly scary example of a new breed of hyper-fit seniors you see frequenting health clubs with their ripped abs and weight-lifting belts?

As he sat in his un-air-conditioned home on Monday, seemingly oblivious to the killer heat, you thought it had to be some of both.

Mr. Varga has a full head of hair the color of steel wool, and a wiry frame seemingly devoid of body fat. He was wearing a white T-shirt, burgundy Bermuda shorts, black socks, black shoes.

He talked in a calm, reedy voice about his attempt to become the oldest man to complete the
Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur like someone who had taken an engineer’s slide rule to the whole thing and figured it was worth a shot.

He did, in fact, complete the event, held every four years, in 1987, 1991 and 1995. He tried in 2003 but didn’t make it, though he’s not sure how much was mechanical failure on the part of the bike and how much was the frailty of flesh.

“I don’t know if it’s stupidity or something else that’s driving me,” he said, sounding as if it didn’t much matter. “I give myself a 50-50 chance of completing it. But I’m going there with the idea I’ve done it before, and I can do it again, and that either way, this is my last hurrah. I wouldn’t consider it after this.”

Mr. Varga had long since stopped riding bicycles when he read Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper’s first book on aerobics about 40 years ago. Mr. Varga tends to do things whole-hog, be it his 25 years as a scoutmaster, or the marathon income-tax counseling he still does as a volunteer. So he decided to get serious about aerobics.

But running was tough on his knees, so he dusted off a three-gear bike that had belonged to one of his two sons and tried that. Soon, with better bicycles, he took to riding to work, taking longer and longer trips, joining the Morris Area Freewheelers bicycle club.

He and two friends biked across the country 15 years ago. Now, when he needs to stay in top condition in the winter (and when his wife is not home), he rigs up a stationary bike, turns off all the heat in the house and pedals for hours and hours on end. To stay in shape, he does a 125- or 150-mile-long ride twice a week, out Route 513 toward Frenchtown, and then north or south.
Julian Orleans, who cycled cross-country with Mr. Varga, said he’s not surprised that Mr. Varga has become the consummate two-wheeled marathon man.
“LeRoy was never one to do that much sightseeing,” he said. “Once I wanted to stop at an Indian reservation. He just kept going on. He’s the type who never wants to stop until you get there.”

Out in the garage is Mr. Varga’s 27-speed aluminum frame Trek 2300 bicycle. It has a black silicon foam covering he added for gripping the handlebars, a two-cushion seat, an electronic readout that measures altitude, distance, height, speed and temperature, and another that serves as a heart monitor.

He’s done it before; he knows the drill. So part of him looks forward to the rigors, and the hoopla, of the ride. And most of him is thinking about getting done what needs to be done.
“It’s like a jail sentence right now,” he said amiably. “I have to gauge what I do based on whether or not I’m doing what I think I have to do.”

I posted this to the RANDON List - and was told more about LeRoy here

"Last time PBP was held in 2003 there were 2 76 year olds that completed it
For those with a 2003 PBP Results plaquette at hand, or know an ancien/ancienne with one, Roger Martin, a long-time ACP member, describes his 2003 ride on pages 52-53— his 9th PBP. Nice article. Yes, he was 76 years old and did the ride in as many hours as he had years— but it turns out he was not the oldest, by a couple of months. The ACP lists Rene Gaillard (84+ hours) with a birthday of Sept. 24, 1927, while Mr. Martin was born on December 26, 1927. " - Bill Bryant

Gotta Love Frazz

2007-07-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

Frazz is a comic strip where the main character is a cyclist. Today it struck me as particually funny. Do not ask a long distance rider what they consider a short ride - you will get an answer any where from 40 miles to 125 miles. One of my friends was told by her Doctor to only do short rides while she rehabbed - luckily the Dr. saw the glint in her eye and asked her to define a short ride - I think she defined it as 80 miles.

Slab of Beer

2007-07-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

On the Randon list Peter Matthews stated that one of the Aussie riders had hit a wombat on a ride and stated that a wombat was about the size of a slab of beer. I had to ask Peter to define a slab of beer.

Adrian Hands piped up with the information
A measurement of amount of beer, specifically 24 tinnies or stubbies (500ml) on a cardboard pallete. If it's a box of large bottles of beer, it's called a "carton". This is what people bring to parties. Reputedly, some truckies measure the length of their trips in slabs or cartons. If you're driving on Queensland roads, this is probably something you didn't want to know.

Peter said that stubbies are about 375ml and that the truckers are not drinking as much on the job anymore but you probably still don't want to encounter a "road train" while on a brevet.

More information on talking strine can be found at talk-queenslandish.

So your Going to PBP - What to Read on the Plane

2007-07-06T11:53:00.001-07:00

You have a long flight ahead of you to a foreign country. I thought I'd take this opportunity to suggest some books for your trip that you might enjoy.
My friend Narrayan recomends:

I'm a big fan of the following books:

Travel Guides
Don't you deserve this after PBP
- Learn about what you don't remember riding through

Or at the movies before you go:
Ratatouille
La Vie En Rose

Do you have any reccomendations for me?

Ditty Bops on Tour

2007-07-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

I've written about these singer songwriters before I heard about them last year on NPR.
They are going to be playing in Seattle at the Triple Door on Friday August 10th of course this is the night I have tickets for Young Frankenstein the Musical so I can not attend both - GRRR.
Please come out and support these talented, singer songwriter and cyclist ladies. They may be in your home town soon.

>07/28/07 CONFIRMED	Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA Showtime: 8:00 PM Cost: $20 (+ fees) General admission seating. Tickets onsale now @ Ticketmaster.
08/02/07 CONFIRMED	Community Concerts @ Todos Santos Plaza Intersection of Grant St. and Salvio St., Concord, CA Showtime: 6:30 PM Cost: FREE
08/03/07 CONFIRMED	Freight & Salvage Coffee House 1111 Addison St., Berkeley, CA Showtime: 7:30 PM Cost: $18.50 (+ fees) Tickets onsale now @ Ticketweb.
08/04/07 CONFIRMED	The Attic 931 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, CA Doors: 6:00 PM, Showtime: 7:00 PM Cost: $15 (+ fees) Dinner available at the show. Tickets onsale now @ Ticketweb.
08/08/07 CONFIRMED	W.O.W. Hall 291 West 8th St., Eugene, OR Showtime: 7:00 PM Cost: $15 (+ fees) Advance, $17 (+ fees) Day Of Show. ALL AGES! Tickets onsale now @ Ticketmaster.
08/10/07 CONFIRMED	The Triple Door 216 Union St., Seattle, WA Showtime: 7:00 PM (Doors: 5:30 PM) Cost: $15 (+ fees) Advance, $18 (+ fees) Day Of Show. ALL AGES! Tickets onsale now @ Ticketmaster.
08/10/07 CONFIRMED	The Triple Door 216 Union St., Seattle, WA Showtime: 10:00 PM (Doors: 9:30 PM) Cost: $15 (+ fees) Advance, $18 (+ fees) Day Of Show. ALL AGES! Tickets onsale now @ Ticketmaster.
08/11/07 CONFIRMED	Aladdin Theater 3017 S.E. Milwaukee, Portland, OR Showtime: 8:00 PM Cost: $13.50 (+ fees) Advance, $15 (+ fees) Day Of Show Tickets onsale now @ Ticketmaster.
08/16/07 CONFIRMED	Snowmass Village Free Concert Series Snowmass Village, CO Showtime: 6:15 PM Cost: FREE
08/16/07 CONFIRMED	Snowmass Village Free Concert Series Snowmass Village, CO Showtime: 7:25 PM Cost: FREE
08/17/07 CONFIRMED	Rocky Mountain Folks Festival 500 West Main St., Lyons, CO Showtime: TBA Cost: $40 Fri., $105 3-Day, $165 3-Day w/ Onsite Camping
08/19/07 CONFIRMED	Knickerbocker's 901 O St., Lincoln, NE Showtime: 9:00 PM Cost: $15 (+ fees) Ages 18+ Tickets onsale TBA @ Etix.
08/23/07 CONFIRMED	Mad Art Gallery 2727 South 12th St., St. Louis, MO Showtime: 7:40 PM Cost: TBA
08/23/07 CONFIRMED	Mad Art Gallery 2727 South 12th St., St. Louis, MO Showtime: 10:40 PM Cost: TBA
08/25/07 CONFIRMED	Old Town School Of Folk Music 4544 North Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL Showtime: 8:15 PM Cost: TBA Tickets onsale now @ their website.
08/26/07 CONFIRMED	Old Town School Of Folk Music 4544 North Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL Showtime: 8:15 PM Cost: TBA Tickets onsale now @ their website.
08/29/07 CONFIRMED	The Ark 316 S Main., Ann Arbor, MI Showtime: 8:00 PM Cost: $17.50 (+ fees) General Admission, $22.50 (+ fees) Reserved Tickets onsale now @ Ticketmaster.
08/30/07 CONFIRMED	Capitol Theatre 77 S. High St., Columbus, OH Showtime: 9:00 PM Cost: TBA
08/31/07 CONFIRMED	Southgate House 24 E. Third St., Newport, KY Showtime: 8:30 PM (Doors: 7:30 PM) Cost: $12 (+ fees) Advance, $15 (+ fees) Day Of Show Tickets onsale now @ MusicToday.
09/02/07 CONFIRMED	Mr. Smalls Funhouse 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale, PA Showtime: 7:00 PM (Doors: 6:00 PM) Cost: $12 (+ fees) Tickets onsale now @ Ticketweb.
09/03/07 CONFIRMED	World Cafe Live 3025 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA Showtime: 7:30 PM (Doors: 6:00 PM) Cost: $12 (+ fees) Advance, $14 (+ fees) Day Of Show Tickets onsale now @ their website.
09/04/07 CONFIRMED	Birchmere 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA Showtime: 7:30 PM Cost: $19.50 (+ fees) Tickets onsale now @ Ticketmaster.

Flying Wheels on an Alternate Day

2007-06-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning we got up early to meet up with our friends Steve and Denise and their friend Keven to ride Flying Wheels on the day after the official event. Well the good news was the porta potties were still en route the bad news was yesterdays nice weather was gone and we got to do another century in the rain. We stopped for lunch at the Hitching Post Cafe in Monroe breakfast served all day and Denise let us in on the the secret nice bathroom by the Hawaiian restaurant in Duvall. Yes Duvall has a Hawaiian restaurant and I'll be eating some yumi poi there on another day. Steve called for a stop at Sandy's espresso in Carnation Washington - a late day shot of espresso got us finished with the last 25 miles.

Cascade Bicycle Club set up the route with options which go like this.

50-mile loop - Redmond to Carnation to Fall City to Issaquah to Redmond - three climbs between 1/2 to 1 mile in length. Perfect preparation route for the two-day Group Health STP rider.

65 - mile loop - take the 50-mile loop and add in Duvall and one more 1-mile climb.

100 - mile loop - take the 65-mile loop and add Snohomish and Monroe and another 1 mile climb for a total of 5 good climbs. Finish this route and you will be ready to ride Group Health STP in one day!

Okay but does this make me ready for PBP? Well not yet but we ended up doing this a bit slower then I would have liked but had a really nice day riding around scenic Snohomish and King County. And it was Keven's first century ever so he is now more then ready for a 2 day STP with an overnight in Winlock home of the giant egg. I need to decide if I'm going to ride STP - either that or do a 200k permanent that weekend.

Oregon 600 km Brevet - Hot Springs and Dunes

2007-06-12T14:05:00.001-07:00

Waiting for the start - chatting with Joel from Blackbirds.org - Joel was riding a stunning classic Jack Taylor. He has a lot about Jack Taylors on his website.

Susan France gives us the preride briefing and send off - most important part of her brief do you all have rain gear? It's going to be a wet one.

Hot Air Balloons at the start - I want to do this next year when we are in this area for the NWTR in McMinnville Oregon.

More Hot Air Balloons - Vista Balloon Adventures is the Company.

Detroit Lake

Trash at a control - lets see Ensure, Chocolate Milk and Water - yes a herd of rando's have been here.

Us at the finish - yes I'm now a SUPER Randonneur and qualified for Paris-Brest-Paris.

Photo's courtesy of Clyde, Lesli, Cecilanne, Lynn my fellow adventures of the weekend

Here is the ride report my husband wrote up - I would add to it - thanks to Nate for pointing out the Deli in Amity Oregon they had awesome breakfast burritos for $1 each I think I could have kept eating those all day but alas just one there and one 20 miles later from my front bag. It was a wet weekend so glad I was prepared but should have had my Outdoor research overmits with me and even my Burley jacket didn't cause me to overheat as it usually does.

The Amy and Bob report:

The Hot Springs & Dunes 600K was discussed by some as being a less difficult 600K. On the first day one should have just had a gentle climb up to Breitenbush and a shorter one up to Elkhorn, then on the second day, over the Coastal's to the ocean and then back over the Coastal's to the finish.

With a 25% percent DNF rate, I guess it wasn't an easy one.

On day one we started off into a nice stiff head wind, Mr Head Wind made us work extra hard all the the way to Breitenbush and mixed in with the wind there was some wet and cold rain, and the Breitenbush climb was rather gentle, heading back it started to get very wet, and then we started up Elkhorn, but heading up to Elkhorn was a bit more work, and there had been some road wash out and one section of the road, so we had deep gravel for a mile. Adding to the fun, a white SUV went racing up the small road doing about 90, he went by me three times on the way up, he turned around once to try driving down a dirt road, but he couldn't, so he drove by again, 20 minute later the sheriff drove by, but the sheriff failed to find him, on our return down from Elkhorn, when we were returning on the gravel section, the crazed SUV passed us on the gravel doing about 60, it was a shame that he didn't slide off the road. As we headed back to Newburg we discovered that Mr. head Wind had gone to bed, so didn't get any help from a tail wind, but it was still wet out. To prevent a sleepy attach I had Amy do a Caffeine Hammergell at 1:00ish, this helped her stay perky for the rest of the way into the overnight control.

We managed to get 2 hours of sleep at Newburg, but slow packing up meant we left the control about 25 minutes down on the clock, but the first control of the day was 70 miles out on the coast. We found some good breakfast buritos at a deli in Amity which helped get us through the first 70 miles, since we were heading west, Mr head Wind was coming from the west this time, and with the wind there were dark clouds and made us wet, so it was a slow wet push to coast and over the top of the Coastal's, the last ten miles to the ocean was nice as we dropped 700 feet of elevation, of course going down large descents that you know you need to go back up, are the best for moral, some one said that they were going to need a helicopter to get out of there. But we made the control with enough time to spare to sit down and have some good breakfast food to stoke the turbines. We stopped at a very funny place in Pacific City that proclaimed its self the home of the Giant Chicken Fried Steak we did not eat such a beast. Then we have to good 4 miles out to the information control then it was back up the climb. We made steady progress up the climb, then once we crested the top, we had a tail wind, with a little help from the tail wind, we were able to put over a hour on the clock as we headed back and even have nice bite on the way in. We ended up finishing in just under 39 hours.

NWTR 2007 - or Tandem Rallies not just for Tandems

2007-05-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

Number one question asked us at the Northwest Tandem Rally - where is your tandem? Well the sad story is our tandem was sitting at home and we were at the rally on our single bikes. Because we are training for a big ass event on our singles we needed to keep up the training and couldn't break out the tandem even for a weekend.

Why not just stay home and do training instead of travelling to an event for tandems. Because the rally was held in Yakima which is in Washington Wine Country, lots of our friends were going and frankly a weekend out of town over Memorial Day was a good thing.

We had a really good time riding with the big bikes on Saturday we rode 75 miles and visited several wineries. The rally folks the Kiwana's club of Yakima would pick up people's purchases at the wineries so no need to carry wine on your bike. Saturday night a group of 12 went to an excellent Italian restaurant called Gasperetti’s.

Sunday we got in 60 miles but had to deal with riding in some wicked headwinds. We were going about 8mph riding into the wind and once we turned around our speed went up to over 20 mph without pedaling. Sunday night was the banquet which can be hit or miss. This year it was a hit the food was good, and because the rally had been sponsered by Wine Country of Washington their was some nice wine to go with dinner.

Monday we had breakfast with friends and drove to our favorite winery Portteus which is at the top of a hill with a long gravelled driveway. Did some wine tasting and took home some purchases from there.

If you think our weekend sounded fun you should consider going to a tandem rally even if your not a tandem rider; or if you just want to go drink wine in Yakima do the Kiwana's Wine Country Trek which is held the last weekend in September. If you decide to go explore wine country don't forget to buy yourself the wine passport its good for discounts at many of the wineries.

SIR 400K Preride - Arlington Loop

2007-05-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

The Route - commented on at breakfast that it was a big boot with a spike that was going to kick our asses.

Ubiquotos Breakfast at Denny's - I highly reccomend you bring your own coffee.

The second control - note the V-8 - Yum Yum

Control #3 Lunch in Sedro Wooley Ahhh - The side walk is wider then my saddle - feels good. Note the lunch of brevet riders sandwiches and Ensure.

Tom - Is it true what they say about big bags? Your bag is certainly bigger then my mini bag. I think you can fit some beer in there? Too bad you didn't today.

Yes - I officially need to get my head examined. I think riding a bike for 23 hours is fun?

Photo's courtesy of Kent Peterson

Group Health Commuter Challenge

2007-05-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

Yes its that time of year again - time to put my money where my mouth is and actually ride my bike to work. It's easy to do at this time of year when the weather is nice and darkness at 5:00 pm is just a fading memory.

I had organized a team at work last year so it was easy to start the process to organize a team this year. I just sent out an email to my team members from last year asking them to participate again and also if they knew of any other bicycle commuters. Wham - more folks then I could handle. This year the company has two teams - the Perkins Peleton and the Perkins Echelon.

This year should go really well for our teams - with new bike racks in the building it has become a friendlier place to bike commute to. People don't realize that even a small change like this can bring folks off the bus or out of their cars and onto their bicycles. Oly bikes had a really good post about bike racks recently.

So are you ready to take the challenge?

Don't worry if you can't scare up a team you can even register as a solo commuter.

If your in the Seattle area - take the Challenge

And best part of all of being a team captain - a free t-shirt stating this fact and an invite to the Pike Brewing Captains Bash.

Pike Brewing is run by cyclists - I met them on the trail riding home from work one day and they gave me free beer :-).

Testing at Cycle U

2007-04-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

Yes - Virginia there is a Cycle University.

Located in the Sand Point Neighborhood of Seattle Washington. You go there to futher your education in cycling. I had previously taken a road racing class and a cyclocross class there and would like to take their spin classes for cyclists also.

Yesterday I took their performance test to find out my "true" heart rate numbers so I could make good use of my heart rate monitor and train effectively. Here is the description of the tests that I went through.

This is a test for an individual or a group that gives you key physical metrics to build your training on and measure progress. We start with weigh in, calibration and full explanation of the tests, then we have you do 2 endurance time trails followed by a short .2 mile sprint. All 3 tests give us valuable data on your endurance, system development, pacing and peak abilities. We start all of our athletes with this prior to coaching, here is more detail on what you receive:

Performance analysis
Threshold heart rate and wattage
Heart rate zones, 5 for heart rate, 5 for power
Maximum sprinting wattage, 1minute, 5 minute and Functional Threshold power information and analysis
Watts per Kilogram information on these times for Power Profiling
Body Fat caliper test
Bike fit check

We give you immediate feedback on what these numbers mean as well as a prescription on how to use this information. This is critical in building an effective training program and determining your strengths and weaknesses. This diagnostic baseline gives us the data to monitor improvement, overtraining and under-recovery. You will receive a full print out of all data with coaches recommendations. It is also a great workout!

Performance Testing sessions are held at the Cycle University Training Center at Magnuson Park and costs is $135 for an individual. $80 per person for groups of between 5-8 the testing generally takes 2 hours. This is great for riders of any level, please contact us to setup a time for you or your group: service@cycleu.com

Adrian who administered the test was very helpful in explaining the results to me and even gave me some information on doing some interval work which I will begin incorporating in my training next month.

And my numbers are:

Zone 1: 111-137 - recovery

Zone 2: 138-151 - endurance

Zone 3: 152-157 - tempo

Zone 4: 158-168 - threshold

Zone 5: 169-185 - VO2

Zone 6: 186+ - Anaerobic

Daffodil Classic

2007-04-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Bob and I went to Orting Washington today to ride the Dafodil Classic.

It is one of the few organized bike rides that I hadn't ridden in the Pacific NW.

We had a really good time riding the 63 mile route and decided not to do the additional 40 mile loop and get home to Seattle at a descent time.

We had a really good time and the route was challenging enough without being overkill though I'm sure some novice cyclists considered it overkill.

This is a good route to ride any time of year and there are plenty of mini marts etc. to ride it unsupported.

SIR 300K / Tahuya Hills

2007-04-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

Umm make that Tahuya Hell - no not quite that bad.
We caught the ferry over to Bainbridge early Friday evening and had a nice dinner at the Harbour Pub. After dinner we rode past Pegasus Coffee where a folk singer was playing, I wish we could have stayed and listened, (Pegasus Coffee is my daily cup of choice at their downtown Seattle location at third and union) then up the hill and stayed overnight at the Best Western. This was a really nice hotel (5 down pillows on the king size bed, kitchenette, Pegasus coffee in the room, big screen tv, big comfy chairs, high speed internet) - and I'd like to go stay there again when we didn't have to get up so early for a big ride.

We woke up to the sound of rain - my hopes of doing this ride on a beautiful day were dashed. After a quick breakfast in the room we headed down the hill to the Bainbridge Island Bike Barn where the riders were gathered to depart. We picked up our brevet cards and paid our fees and headed out - we quickly saw all the yellow jackets disapear up the hill. We spent the morning riding in the rain and I was cold. We saw our friend Knox at the Hood Canal Bridge - we were not sure if he was afraid to cross the bridge or just taking pictures. When we got to the first control at Port Hadlock, I got some work socks and heated toe warmers which made the difference for the rest of the day - unfortunaly I also got in the slow check out lane - reminder to self - if self check out available to use it.

From here at least the weather improved we headed to Quilcene where we found Tom Mage - who I did not expect to see since he is a zippy rider. Tom - had earned a DNF (Did Not Finish) for the day his bicycle only had one crank. Tom was waiting for a pick up - we wished him well and headed up Walker Pass. This is a pass and does take a bit to get to the Summit of a whopping 727 feet but we had started at close to sea level.

After descending Walker Pass you ride through a series of rollers and past many RV parks, Campgrounds and Scuba sites. The Hood Canal is known for its excellent diving. We reached Hoodsport (Control #3) and took a short break to eat sandwiches and refill our water bottles. The we proceeded around the hook of Hood Canal to begin the part of the ride I don't like.

Control #4 found us at Kays Corner - where the SIR folk were doling out cups of noodles and fritos to get us through to the end. It is deregur to eat a cup of noodles on an SIR ride - without one the ride doesn't seem complete. They are packed full of sodium goodness. We turned on our lights for the first time and headed up Tahuya River Road at Twilight. It was snowing pollen. This road is really tough because it hilly and has no markings so its hard to tell how long the hill is. We made it though - I flatted on the next stretch of road, Bob fixed my flat and we headed back up the road - another really tough stretch of hills Dewato Road and Holly Road. I made the mistake of stopping and had a bitch of time getting started again. About this point Bob flatted - he told me to continue on without him.

Control #5 - The Seabeck store - Oh My this place was a hoot. I was good on food and water but did need to use the facilities. Lucky me I got to use the inside facilities all the guys had to use the green box outside. While waiting for the facilities I got to look at the taxidermy that was on display and talk to the propriotor of the store. One of the displays - a big momma goose and her little yellow goslings (Happy Easter - poor dead little goslings). Anderson Hill which has a bad reputation was next - I had learned my lesson earlier about stopping on the hill and powered through.

Paulsbo - I got called a bitch by some folks standing by their car - Oh Joy - I'm getting nervous about time but am confused by the way the route goes through town. I'm anxious to be back on 305 where I know I just have a straight shot to the finish. At this point Dan and Patti catch me and Bob catches me also - we all put the hammer down and get past the Casino and over Agate Pass. I don't know why I was thinking it was all downhill from here because it wasn't - we pushed hard and made the turn onto High School Road - looking for the hotel where the ride finishes. We both expected the hotel to be right on the road not tucked back into a side road - so we rode past it and turned around and found it when we realized this was the case - pulling in at 3:00 am. That's right - this ride had lasted us 20 hours. Lessons learned - be better prepared clothing wise so no shopping needs to be done on route, don't stop on hills, more endurolytes so less bio breaks, if the water isn't hot - forego the cup of noodles (sad), pay closer attention to the time.

This year was great with the ride ending at a hotel so we ate Pizza, grabbed a nap and caught the second ferry back to Seattle. I spent Sunday near comatose and feeling toxic from too much sustained energy and too many powerbars.

Ride #2 completed towards Paris - Brest - Paris - next up the 400 km

Preparation for the 300k

2007-04-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

Just another reason that I married the right guy - emails like this one.

You should plan on washing your rear tire (with scrubby & soap), so you can switch it for the gatorskin, check gatorskin first, cog and new chain. Put in front rack and switch LED lamps, with the front rack, I think you can use the little rack bag,and switch to a littler seat bag.
Weather seems to be improving for Saturday.
Ride Plan Thinking: Carb Drink - sip every 15 minutes - maybe we should set a reminder alarm for this? more later

Cycling Pod Casts

2007-03-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-13T13:57:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

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.

Greetings from Albir Spain

2007-02-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

We are on Holiday at a Graham Baxter Sporting Camp doing some lovely riding up lots of hills and past many beaches and hill towns. Tomorrow we attend the Tour de Valencia and hope to get some good pictures of the racers we saw the team cars for Discover and CSC in town and have heard Valverde is planning to race. This isn´t really a training camp for the less serious set ie not racers but they have been very accomodating and tell us good routes that take us intersting places we arrive back later then the other folks but have done less miles, fewer hills but have probably had a nicer time then having our hearts jump out of our chests. I´m the only woman here. Most of the guys are planning to ride le tour l´tape which is riding a stage of the tour de france 8000 riders do it every year there are time cutoffs and huge passes to ride so they are riding the cols (passes) in the area. One of the Cols is the Col de Rates which we plan on riding before we return back to Seattle.

Ergomania

2007-01-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

Ergomania
My hubby competed in Ergomania on Saturday January 27, 2007.
He uses erging or indoor rowing as his offseason training for cycling. We own a concept 2 rower and many gyms also have the rowers. Concept 2 is a very cool company sponsering events like Ergomania and also holding on-line Challenges. Between Thanksgiving and X-mas they hold the Holiday Challenge if you get your rowing in your holiday calories are burned off and you can get through the holidays without gaining a pound in fact you might loose a few. Bob is a PBP Ancienne and is planning to ride PBP 2007

Weight Training for Long Distance Cyclists

2007-01-26T17:22:00.000-08:00

We are not like those no upper body Tour de France riders we need to be fit all the way around. I recently started weight training at the gym so I will be able to complete endurance rides in the future. Wednesday night I found myself drawing a blank about what I was there for and what I was doing. I spent some time today putting together a cheat sheet to use for weight training I need to add neck exercises to it so I don't end up with Shermer's neck. But its a start- If you weight train let me know some good additional exercises. I don't plan on doing all of these every time I lift.
I found a good page that has exercises choose the ones that work for you

LEGS
Dumbbell Stepups
Dumbell Squats
Dumbell Side Lunges
Leg press
Hamstring curls
ARMS
Biceps curls
Bicep Hammer Curls
Tricep Kickbacks
Triceps extension
Triceps Bench Dips
BACK / ABS
Low back extensions
Reverse crunches
Crunches
CHEST
Dumbbell chest press
Lat pulldowns

Paris Brest - The Pastry

2007-01-22T17:03:00.000-08:00

OH MY GAWD!!!
Have you ever had one of these?
My blogging was a bit sparse in November and December because I was on a 16 day cruise with my parents. Due to a gym onboard and spin classes I came back with only an extra lbs or 2. It would have been very easy to come back with many more lbs due to the great food - yep they had Paris Brest the pastry on the menu.
Here is an awesome link about making Paris Brest the Pastry.
I found another awesome link about making Paris Brest the Pastry they even suggest which vintage french wine to pair it with.
Glad to know I'm not the only fixated on this pastry. David has some more to say about it. Vist his blog here.

On Your Bike!!!!

2007-01-22T16:46:00.000-08:00

Or not.
Please be careful out there - I got an email on Saturday afternoon that said one of my regular ride partners was in hospital with a broken femur and was going to be having surgery. His plans for the year included Paris Brest Paris - no more PBP for him. He is going to be AOK, the surgery went well I feel really sorry for his wife to have to take care of this cranky guy for the next few months. He normally works out some of his crankiness by riding.
If the weather outside is frightful - don't chance blowing your big adventure. The weather in Seattle finally was good this past weekend and I was able to get in 2 short rides so a 80 mile weekend to get me started.
Also don't forget if you haven't done long distance riding in the past it stresses your body more then anything you have ever done before. Be sure to eat healthy, take your vitamins, work on flexibility and building up those small muscles you will need in the wee hours of the morning to keep your head up.

87+ Hours on a Spin Bike - UGH

2007-01-19T17:12:00.000-08:00

I heard about this on NPR and my first thought was that this was someone riding a life cycle not a spin cycle. I don't know why I thought that - after all I somehow have found myself to quote Lon Haldeman living among and being one of the "Exceptional Cyclists". Sometimes I think that means - those of us that have a screw loose and aspire to big events like PBP and more craziness like Race Across America. Yep - its a guy training for RAAM 2007. He got in some good training and raised $5,000 for the American Diabetes Association. Cheers to John!!!
John Jurczynski

Paris-Brest-Paris Blogs

2007-01-17T10:29:00.001-08:00

Yep - that is the goal this year. I'm glad to know I'm not alone with this goal - I've discovered a few cycling blogs of other folks who also have Paris Brest Paris on the agenda for 2007. Follow us as we train for this incredible event. I'll update the links as I find them. If you find any links let me know.
About the Bike
Bookwoman
Higher Gear Coaching
Road to Paris Brest Paris
Slightly Lost in the World
Little Circles
John Kramer aka Kramer Cosmo
Crosswrench
The Big Fix
My Life on a Bike
David Kenning
Cat Trike

Snow Tires for your bicycle

2007-01-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard - we have snow in Seattle and it has not gone away like it usually does. My hubby is a shopaholic and bought snow tires for our bicycles. This weekend he got around to putting them on the bikes. My Soma Doublecross is now sporting a pair of the 700x35 studded snow tires. Yesterday I rode up the Burke Gilman trail which is covered in packed snow and ice - it was really fun and a good workout. I rewarded myself with a hot chocolate at Starbucks at Lake Forest Park - by now it was getting dark and I had left home without a light. I need to figure out where to mount one - my Doublecross has interruptor levers on it which limit handlebar space. I hopped Metro back to Lake City and rode home from there on Sandpoint way which is better lit then the Burke Gilman Trail. Hopefully tonight I can find a light mount that will work and I can commute in on my studded bike. If your looking to get a pair of these cool tires - they are stocked on-line at Peter White Cycles.

Ireland Cycling Safari's

2006-10-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend while on a Cascade Bicycle Club Ride, I met John Gaskin. John was in town for the Adventure Travel World Summit.
John works for Cycling Safari's which is based out of Dublin Ireland. He had rented a bike to come out and explore the City of Seattle.
I checked out Cycling Safari's on the Web and it meets with and exceeds the OC Travel scale.
Trips should be no more then $1000.00 a week and should cover more then 25 miles a day. This would be a good company to tour with on a non cycling vacation - one week of very low key touring and one week of non cycling site seeing.
Also airfare from Seattle to Dublin - won't break your bank if you go at the right time of year - the weather in Dublin isn't that much different from Seattle - so back up your small bag and hop a flight to drink Guiness in the county of its origin and see some different sites.

Mixte Mania

2006-10-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

So Hubby and I are talking about doing some Vintage Bicycle Events so the search for my vintage bicycle began and this week I found my new steed. My new steed is an ORANGE 1979 Colin Laing Mixte. Colin Laing is a builder originally from the UK that apprenticed under the Taylor Brothers - as in Jack Taylor Bicycles.

OKAY - here is a picture

We bought a really ugly bike off craigs list that I hold no fondness for - except for the Shimano Arabesque grouppo that it sports - so parts from that bike are going to be switched to this bike. I think it will be set up with upright bars with Paul Thumbies (using the Shimano 600 shifters)

Don't even ask how many bicycles I now own - It's impolite to ask.

SIR 600K Brevet

2006-09-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

The day dawned bright and early - Bob and I had driven down the night before he had just come along for moral support and was going to do a short ride in the Tumwater area since he was getting over a cold and wasn't up to riding a 600 kilometer ride. I wasn't sure I was up for a 600 kilometer brevet either but I needed to see if I could do it. The ride left Tumwater at 6:00 a.m. and I stayed with the group for the first 16 miles then they were out of sight. I knew a few riders were behind me so I wasn't yet the tail end of the ride. I rode straight though to the first control Vader Washington with just a quick stop to see the big egg in Winlock Washington. We had stopped at this control on the Olympia Broiler ride in July so I knew where the restrooms were and just bought some water to refill my camelback and eat my bagel that I had made at the start line. From Vader the route headed out to the town of Raymond via a few small towns I had never even heard of. I had never ever heard of Lebam or Menlo Washington - passed through them on my bicycle in a blink of an eye. I had been to Raymond several times before and it is one of my favorite towns in Washington State due to the metal cutouts of people and animals that are all along the road. Raymond was a Control so I stopped at the Subway Shop and got myself a sandwich and water - just as I was arriving I saw another rider leaving so knew I was on pace. I pushed on to the the Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge where I saw lots of blue herons, and oyster places. I took a quick break at Long Island campground and decided that this is a place I would like to go to again. It looks like it has some really nice hiking and campsites. On to the town of Long Beach (Control #4)- but I didn't see the Beach. I met up with Ray McFall at the Shell Station and asked if we could ride together through the night. Ray seemed agreeable to that and we headed out. SIR had a night support stop set up about 40 miles from the Long Beach Control so we took another break there and had to have the ubiguous cup o noodles that is mandatory food on a brevet. It was slow going after dark and we didn't reach the sleep stop until after 4:00 a.m. I really had hoped to make it there around 2:00 a.m. Amy Pieper and Greta Oleson got us some grup and settled into a room. We left a wake up call with Greta for 6:00 a.m for Ray and 6:30 a.m. for Amy. After a quick shower and some food I was ready to leave - I ended up getting out of there later then I wanted because 2 riders had just rolled in and Amy and Greta thought it would be good if I waited for them. I should have headed out and not waited because I think this ended up causing me some stress later in the ride. I waited and then one rider quickly dropped me and I dropped the other rider - turns out he had a mechanical. I made it to the Toutle Control right at the closing time after humping it up a few difficult hills and was stressed not to have any leeway for a cup of coffee. The other rider who had dropped me was also there and leaving as I pulled in so when I left I decided to catch her and put the hammer down and psych myself out that I could finish the ride. I ended up blowing up and the legs no longer wanted to go around and I was in tears not wanting to face more climbing and riding an addional 10 hours on my own. When I got to Toledo Washington I called Bob for a ride home. I gave it a go but my legs got to the point where they had nothing left to give and mentally I just wasn't ready for another 10 hours on the bike. I'm very proud of myself for getting out there and giving it my best but I would have been even prouder had I gotten it done and completed the complete brevet series. I made it to Toledo Washington - 276 miles so still had a century to go - this was my longest bicycle ride ever so a new first.

Seven Hills of Kirkland

2006-09-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

Lucky Number 7 - If you ride around the east side (Woodinville, Bothell, Kirkland area) you see these markings on the road side. The number 7 stenciled on the roadside is the route for the Seven Hills of Kirkland When an organized ride is held the organizers go out and mark the route with Dan Henry Markings. According to Wikipedia:

Dan Henry (b. 1913) is a bicycling legend and inventor of directional pavement markings commonly used to guide participants along the route of organized bicycling events. The markers themselves are usually called "Dan Henrys".

An example "Dan Henrys" for six different routes.

All indicate the same direction of travel.
Originally, the markings consisted of a circle with a vertical line from the edge of the circle pointing in the direction of travel (up, left, right). Other common markings are a circle X to denote wrong way, and a circled horizontal line to denote caution.
Variations on the circle pattern developed to differentiate between different rides as more and more rides began to use the same roads. Variations include color, triangles, squares, letters, etc.

I picked up the route off the Burke Gilman Trail where I spotted the first #7 on the pavement - I made a quick left and immediately went up a hill. I continued to follow the #7 markings as they wound though some pleasant neighborhoods. The route was a nice change from my usual rides and had some quality hills. Somewhere along the line I missed a turn and ended up on a very busy road where I would not have chosen to ride so I knew I wasn't where I should be. I ended up in Kirkland and took a break for something to eat. Because I had other plans for the evening I wasn't able to complete the ride and ended up hopping a bus across 520 to get home at a decent hour. It's really nice that the buses that go across the lake have room for 3 bicycles but I don't understand how they can charge you full fare when you are only on the bus for 2 or 3 miles.
I looked at the website this morning and found where I had gone wrong and printed out the cue sheets. Turns out there are several routes besides the traditional 7 Hills - there is a metric century and a full century option. For folks looking for a good ride in the Seattle area - here is the link.
Seven Hills of Kirkland

I'm now a Selle Italia Ldy -

2006-09-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

I'd been happy for years riding a Terry Butterfly Saddle and I don't know what happened for some reason I wasn't happy any more. I started the 300 km brevet with some minor saddle sores and finished it with a doozey of a saddle sore. I ended up getting a prescription for antibiotics so it would heal faster and taking it easy before the 400 km brevet. Two days before the 400 km brevet I purchased a Selle Italia Ldy saddle. I survived the 400 km and other then my butt being sore from being on the bike for so many hours - I recovered quickly and was back on my bike just a few days later.
On Sunday I grabbed my lighter bike an Airborne Valkerie which still sports a Terry Butterfly - after a 40 mile ride I wasn't happy again. So this week I ordered another Selle Italia Ldy from Team Estrogen and received it in just a few days. The cool thing about the Selle Italia Ldy is that is comes in colors. The Airborne will soon be sporting the blue saddle and I need to think about the yellow one for my Gaansari Scorcher.

SIR 400K Brevet - Redmond - Bellingham - Redmond

2006-08-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

This was a biggie for me - my longest ride ever.
The ride started at 6:30 am at Mark Thomas's house. It was really nice we arrived early so were able to have muffins and coffee and chat with the other riders. Mark gave the send off speech on the brevet - told us "Lets be Careful out There". The ride started with a few nasty hills which brought us to White Stallion station at the top of the Woodinville hill but from the opposite direction that I usually approach it from so that was strange. We headed down the hill and out towards Snohomish - I think it was too early and we were not yet thinking straight because some how we ended up at the Maltby Cafe - a quick look at the map and realized we had missed a turn. Back on track we made it through Snohomish but down Highway 9 instead of Springetti. I don't know if the difference was that it was so early or that Highway 9 is more in the Valley then Springetti is - but this section of the ride was NASTY - my glasses got coated with a fine fog and I just hoped it wasn't from the cow poop sprayers we had spotted fertilizing fields on another day. We made a quick stop at the Arlington control which is a split Chevron/McDonalds and had some grease filled breakfast sandwiches to get us up the road.

Just outside Arlington - I spotted another weird place I want to visit on another day - called the Kangaroo Ranch - they have Roo's, Ostriches and who knows what else. I'm going to lead a ride with this place as the destination. I'm still planning to lead a ride with the snake place in Gold Bar as a destination also.

Between Arlington and Darrington we heard some rustling in the bushes and I looked back to see what was there. It wasn't a what but a who - an Italian Greyhound decided he needed to race us and looked very pleased with himself that he had beat us. In Darrington we stopped at the next control which was the Stagecoach Inn - the Stagecoach Inn had been an overnight on the 1000 k brevet which was being held concurrently with the 400k. Peter Rankin and Greta Olson met us there and Pete made us a few yummy sandwiches to order. We headed out to Rockport and made a left to go to the town of Concrete.
Concrete is a weird town that needs more exploring on another day. It does have a beautiful bridge and damn but it also has a very ugly concrete plant (hence the name). I stopped at the grocery store and had some fruit, ensure plus and got my control card signed. It always cracks me up to look in the garbage at the stops - the garbage was full of water bottles and ensure bottles. From Concrete we headed down the Valley to Sedro Wooley at this point we began to see the BC Randos out on the Blizzard 600 k. The Blizzard 600k went from Dairy Queen to Dairy Queen and was organized by my fried Melissa Friessan and her husband Scott Gater. I amused myself by yelling at the other Rando's that they were SEXY - well aren't we? In Sedro Wooley I stopped for a coffee and saw several more of the BC Randos pass by. From Sedro Wooley on to Bow and up Chuckanut Drive - we stopped at the Hagen Foods for dinner. After dinner I had some issues with my new lights - turns out the secondary light needed to be turned off and then turned back on once I was underway which is kinda quirky but boy are these new lights bright.
Down Chuckanut drive - onto the Bay View State park - we rode with John Vincent and James Gutholm for a big stretch of this but I was slowing down and needed a break so we took a quick stop and didn't see them again until the finish.
Peter McKay met us with more food at the Secret Control and we pushed back on to the same Chevron/McDonalds in Arlington. Alas the Micky D's was closed so I settled for some chocolate milk and continued on. After Arlington it was a long stretch on Highway 9 and it started getting lighter. Again on Highway 9 we rode through nasty foggy bit. We turned off 9 and were on the familiar roads again - it seemed like it took forever to go the last 20 miles. I went through the last of my ensure plus and several bars and gu's just to keep going. Up a few last nasty hills and lots of little turns and we were back at Mark's house. Hadn't we just left Mark's? Oh yeah that was 25 hours ago. Chris fed us some rice and gumbo. We took showers, Bob took a nap and I had a good time chatting with Chris and the other finishers that were still at Marks. After Bob and I drove home a few hours later - I fell asleep and did not wake up until 9:00 p.m had a few eggs for dinner and went back to bed at 10:00 p.m.

Free Beer

2006-08-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Yep thats right.
Last night on my commute home I spotted the bright orange Rodriquez tandem that I'd previously seen parked outside Brouwers Brewpub in Fremont. I struck up a conversation with the riders and told them that I had seen their bike at the Pub. They said their bike is always at a pub. Turns out they are the owners of Pike Brewing. The new brew this summer is called Tandem. I was given a signed business card and told to go have some beer on them. Very Cool.

Bike Mexico

2006-08-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

I just checked my blogosphere email account and had a recommendation to add to my budget bike tours links. Kevin Hill of Ontario suggested Bike Mexico. They fit in my budget and the tours look cool. I need to poke around the website a bit more and find out if they are camping or cheap hotel tours. One of the tours featured is during The Day of the Dead which has always intrigued me. But the Yucatan Tour with the Mayan Ruins sounds very cool also. If I get a chance to go on one of their tours I'll certainly let you folks know how it was. Or if you go please let me know if its worth it.

I heard it on NPR - Ditty Bops

2006-08-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Yes - of course this is bike related.
These two hip chicks are biking across the country with their piano player in the van acting as their SAG (Support and Gear) driver. In this case the gear is their musical instruments. So they are having quite the adventure seeing the country and playing some gigs. They are going to be in Seattle at Chop Suey on September 9, 2006. I don't think I'm going to be able to make it to the show but am considering biking with them to the Portland Show.

Their website
Their Blog
Link to the story on NPR

SIR 300K Brevet / Don't Cross 3 Borders Rides

2006-08-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

We had overnighted in Bellingham so just had a short drive to the ride start at Dan Turner's House in Bellingham. Somehow we left just 5 minutes too late so did not get to start with the other riders. We headed out of Dan's house and found some of the elevation on the route right away - Yew Road is Hilly. Also we thought we were lost very early in the ride and rode all the way around Lake Samish - luckily some friendly walkers put us back en route. We descended down to the first official control (we had already had one secret control) at the shop in Edison. We wandered into the shop to find Wayne and got our brevet cards signed. We also found out they have awesome marionberry scones. From Edison the route climbed Chuckanut Drive (I had just ridden Chuckanut yesterday) I don't think I could get tired of riding Chuckanut Drive it has amazing views and a gentle grade so it doesn't take too long to cover its 10 miles.

The route took us back through Bellingham along the waterfront - just when I was ready to fill my camelbak we had another secret control. Vik supplied us with peanut butter bagels, sodas and a water refill.

Everson Washington found us at the Red Market with me desparte to find some scivolutions skin tape for a growing saddle sore. I found a product called new skin which needed to be taped on so it wasn't what I was looking for and DID NOT do the job. By the time we reached the Silver Lake Control at mile 86 I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish the ride and asked around if anybody had some helpful cure for saddlesores. Wayne piped up that he had a tube of triple neosporin which has pain killer in it and numbs the pain. After another peanut butter sandwich and a smear of the neosporin I was off to Glacier.

Climb Climb Climb - yeah there are my buddies on the descent so I knew if I wanted to I could catch them later. A quick stop to get my card signed and explain the insaneness of Randoneuring to the guy at the ski shop at me on the descent.

We didn't stop again until the Sumas border crossing. We of course had to stop at the Super Duper which is the most bizarre store. I think they get a lot of close outs so they have really bizarre products and since the shopping is limited in the area they also carry some products for your on the spur pork butt BBQ - but please note that there was only one pork butt for sale next to the pudding cups and no other meat.

The route went along Boundary Road the other side of the ditch is Canada and my friend Duane gives this report of what happens when you pee into Canada. "Oh, I almost forgot. When I stopped to pee, at the left turn (to the south), in the bushes, it somehow alerted Homeland Security. The guy said that "we" had "set off a sensor." I assume it was caused by my high (though naturally occurring) testosterone ratio. He threatened to ship me to Guantanamo the next time this happens. They probably don't provide much water, there, so it's less of an issue.Later in the ride, someone (who shall remain nameless) in the group I was riding with almost caused a domestic incident by peeing on the wrong side of some bushes.Two peeing altercations in one brevet. That's a PR." - Duane Wright - Smart Ass

Langley Border came next where the RSVP riders cross so there were lots of bright pink apples painted on the road - once you cross the boarder on RSVP you follow maple leafs into Vancouver. But thats another ride.

Next on to Blaine and Birch Bay - after climbing H Road which we decided standed for Hill and had lots of false summits we had an amazing view of the Bay. While riding along the Bay I saw a Grey Herron flying just 2 feet over the water and due to the lighting I could see his shadow on the water.

RSBP not RSVP

2006-08-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

You ask why not RSVP (Ride Seattle Vancouver Party)? That had been the initial plan and then smartee me did not buy ride tickets from Cascade and the ride Sold Out. I had been smart enough to secure hotel reservations in Bellingham and Vancouver. Also it turned out that the long distance cycling club we belong to was hosting a ride out of Bellingham on August 5th.
I did end up getting a ticket for RSVP - but decided that maybe the 300k on Saturday would be more beneficial to my training for an upcoming 400k brevet.
I rode the first day of RSVP which ends in Bellingham. This is a challenging ride - granted their are no mountain passes but its still challenging. When people ask me about the differences between RSVP and STP I always tell them that STP is a party with a ride and RSVP is a ride with a party - the ride once again confirmed this.

I know the ride oversold this year so lines were bigger at the food stops and porta potties. Maybe I have ridden too many self supported rides to dilly dally around to wait for a bagel with Peanut Butter and to wait in line to PPPP. At one of the official stops I headed to the table where they were cutting up cantalope and secured some slices and then headed down the road where I found a nice portapotty outside of a church - no line.

I had lunch at a Subway restaurant in Burlington just about 1/2 mile off route.
I arrived in Bellingham about 4:30 pm and got my free icecream bar and a nice massage.
My friend Matt and his wife Albee had us all over for a big spagetti feed at his house in Ferndale so I did get to Party without heading all the way to Vancouver.

RAMROD 2006

2006-07-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterdays Adventure was RAMROD - Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day. The ride is put on by Redmond Cycling Club of which I am a member. It starts and finishes in Enumclaw Washington. Many riders who participate in this ride are racer types and treat it like it is a stage of the Tour de France. They fly though the course so quickly I wonder how much of the incredible scenery they are able to take in while sucking up packets of gu. From Enumclaw you head to Eatonville, on to Elbe where you find a very cute town with a train ride you can do on another trip, between Elbe and Ashford a sculptur Dan Klennert lives with giant T-Rex made out of car parts in his front yard. Also many chain saw carved bears are in the woods in that area. Ashford is the home of one of my favorite inns - Alexanders Country Inn. Alexander's has a trout pond and for dinner fresh caught trout and some of the finest blackberry cobler is on the menu. Also Ashford is home to many of the places that you would stay if you were planning to climb Mt. Rainier including Whitakers Bunkhouse. Just past Ashford you enter the park. Longmire in the Park is home of the Longmire National Park Inn which also looks like a cool place to stay. The climb to Paradise is amazing (actually I like climbing it better from the other direction). The National Park Inn at Paradise is closed for renovation right now so the ride didn't go there this year. A descent down to Box Canyon brought us to the famed Chocolate Croissants then a climb up Back Bone Ridge. Cahuyse Pass Sucks not much to say about that the climb comes during the heat of the day and the pass never seems to end - luckily after descending the club hosts a sandwich & Soda stop to fuel you up to fight the headwinds. I spotted my friend Denise on the Climb up Cahuyse and we met up with her husband Steve and finished the ride together with big Steve pulling us through the headwinds.

Olympia Broiler 200K Brevet

2006-07-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

We left home at 5:00 am for a 6:00 am start over 60 miles away. We should have left earlier - we showed up for the ride after the mass start. After loading the bikes with the requisite stuff and signing in we departed the parking lot of the Fish Tale Brewery at around 6:20 am. As we were loading up the bikes, one rider returned she had gone the wrong way at the start and another rider had a quicker deployment then us and started the ride just before we did.
This is a beautiful ride and we made the first control just at the closing time - so a late start wasn't costing us much time - but the hills and the mugginess were starting to get to us. One hill was 10% grade going up and 10% going down the other side and then we reached Cramer Hill Road which the nice farmer at the roadside pointed out that he thought it was a 20% hill - probably more like 14%.
After we reached Vader in the afternoon - we spent a bit too much time there cooling down and I probably had needed a real meal at that point but just didn't feel like eating much. I also filled my sport bra with ice - ice is supposed to feel cold against your skin but it didn't. That should have been a good warning sign.
We headed out of Vader with the recumbent rider who was about to pull the plug but decided to carry on. I about quit the ride at Tennessee Hill when I started puking and couldn't get my heart rate below 160 bpm. Sitting under a tree in some wood chips for about a half hour and getting some more calories down my gullet soon put me to rights and I was able to continue. We stopped in Chehalis where we encountered another cooked rider who had been at the air conditioned convenience store for over an hour. We hung out here for about a half hour and cooled down and departed when the temperature outside had dropped to a breezy 97 degree Fahrenheit. From there the day improved and we finished the ride at 8:45 pm - which was out of the 13.5 hours which are allotted for a 200 kilometer ride. The ride was actually 236 km and the temperature average for the day was probably 90.
Out of 53 starters - there were 40 finishers so we were not alone in our inability to deal with the heat.
Highlights of the day included a beautiful ride through the Capitol Forest - I'll take the D Line its a really nice road. Hearing about Martha jumping in a kiddy pool to cool off and Allison being afraid the redneck with the rotweiller was going to come out and yell at them for being on their property.
My first DNF :-( - but it was TOO DAMN HOT!!!!

My Free Bike

2006-07-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

After dinner on July 4th we cut behind the neighboring hotel and I found a
bike in the garbage. It's a green Trek city bike with no 26"wheels and a broken rear derailur. The fork best of all is not suspension - the saddle will
have to go go go. We brought it home with us to Seattle - don't know if
we will try to track down if it was stolen or not. Husband has free
wheels that had been left behind in another apartment so with a new
derailur and the wheels installed it will be rideable again. At that
point I'll decide to keep it or pass it on to a bikeless friend.

Northwest Tandem Rally 2006 / Day 1 / NWTR 2006

2006-07-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts about participating in Tandem Rallies are the mass starts. Yes we are in this picture - I'm wearing the camelback with the STP logo.

Our friends Greg and Ruth Sneed - aren't they just the cutest in their RAMROD jerseys.

Our friends Thyce and Amy Colyn - we were surprized to see them without their panniers and the 10 pound chain they carry everywhere.

Lunch with friends at the Rally -
After lunch we picked up the long route (we had started on the short route) which gave us a 55 mile ride. This was our longest ride on the new Tandem

Anne Marie McSweeney

2006-06-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

(Anne Marie in Blue)

Lost a friend today.
Anne Marie McSweeney was a very active cyclist with a zest for life.
In April I was her roommate at PAC TOUR Desert Camp and was looking forward to many more adventures with her.

Sometimes you just connect with people - I knew Anne Marie through my cycling club for several years and saw her go through some tough times including a very bad break up. I also suffered a very bad breakup and she was there for me - knowing what I was going through.

Anne Marie was just now starting a new relationship with another friend of of mine and the hopes all of us had for that relationship were so bright. They both deserved the Happiness that was going to come their way and now it won't.

I'm going to miss her and will think of her often.
Something quirky about Anne Marie - she had full on conversations in her sleep that you were able to follow if you listened. I listened and laughed about this goofy habit.

My thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and boyfriend. We will all miss you.

Anne Marie McSweeney

Born Sept 23, 1961

Anne Marie died in an auto accident in Klamath Falls, Oregon on June 24,
2006.

Anne Marie was the daughter of Ed and Violet McSweeney of Newhall. She is
survived by her parents, her 4 brothers, her 2 nieces and 3 nephews. Anne
Marie lived in Bend, Oregon, where she had moved after a long career at
Microsoft.

Anne Marie was an avid cyclist and community volunteer. She was passionate
about touching the lives of those near to her. She will be remembered for
her selfless commitment to her family and friends. She will be dearly
missed by all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Anne Marie's honor to

Memorial and Honor Program

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105
www.stjude.org

A rosary (beginning at 10:00 am) and funeral mass (beginning at 10:30 am) in
celebration of Anne Marie's life will be held on Friday, June 30 at

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
23233 Lyons Avenue
Santa Clarita, CA 91321

After the funeral mass, graveyard services will be held at the San Fernando
Mission Cemetery.
11160 Stranwood Avenue
Mission Hills, CA
(818) 361-7387

There will be a reception from 2:00 to 4:00 at the McSweeney Family home at
Newhall, CA 91321

Eastern Washington Tour - Winthrop to Chelan

2006-06-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

After surviving yesterdays climb fest today's ride was much more sane. But I choose to kick it up a notch. I got a late start due to the long line at the espresso stand. The woman in front of me bought 6 espresso's for everyone back at the house. So I tucked my bottle of sports drink in my jersey pocket and put the espresso in the bottle cage. After getting caffinated I caught up with the group. I couldn't seem to get happy with any group I was riding with and wanted to go just a bit faster so moved from one group to another. I spent about 20 minutes trying to bridge to the ride leaders tandem but couldn't close the gap since the territory was either flat or down hill.

Eastern Washington Tour - Grand Coulee to Winthrop

2006-06-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

After a nice overnight in Grand Coulee, todays ride took us to Winthrop. Winthrop is a very cute tourist town in the Cascade Mountains. The ride took us over Disautel Pass ( Elevation: 3252ft) and Loop Loop Pass (Elevation: 4020 Ft) we covered close to 100 miles so I made it an even 100. Tonight we found some awesome BBQ to eat at Heenan's Burnt Finger next to the Cascade Inn where were staying. The restaurant had a great deck with a view of the Methow river, Red Tailed Hawks raising their young and even had a singing cowboy.

Eastern Washington Tour - Chelan to Grand Coulee

2006-06-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my friend Ruth and I drove over to Chelan to join an organized 3-day bicycle tour. I made a quick stop before leaving to get a stem change on my Airbourne. I recently had the stem changed on my Co-Motion and found that I really liked it. Alas turns out I was in a hurry and did not tighten down the bike enough. About 30 miles from our destination we heard a loud thwack on the roof of the car. A quick look up confirmed our fears the bike was now horizontal on the car instead of vertical. Luckily it was still on the car and we were able to pull over and right it. I breathed a loud sigh of relief. When we reached Chelan - the bike no go. When it had tipped over the rear wheel had taken the worst of the tork and was now hideously out of tru. I made a quick phone call to Pedal/Paddle and they were closing for the day. The owner took pity on me and agreed to open the shop early for me. I met him there at 8:00 am - and was out of the shop by 8:30 am - he was able to get the rear wheel back in tru but a new rim should be put on the bike.
I was sagged up to the first water stop in Pateros so I would not be the lantern rouge all day. From Pateros we rode to Grand Coulee. Beautiful riding through cherry orchards
We spent the night at the Columbia River Inn. This hotel was great - when I arrived at the Inn I was drenched from riding the last several miles in a rain storm. I quickly changed and found myself in the Hot Tub being rained up having a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Not a bad way to end a day of bicycle touring.

Focus on the Tandem

2006-06-08T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Tandem showed up in the apartment on February 14, 2005 - yep that's right my sweetie got us a bicycle built for two on Valentines Day. Also a very cute book called Once Upon a Tandem completed the gift. The tandem had been spotted on Craig's list back in November of 2004 unknown to me it had been purchased and stashed to be brought out at a later date. Last year we had the bike out on the road one time and we discovered that the handlebars are too low for the Captain (aka T-Rex) so it needed the stem changed out before we got it back out there. Yes I know its now June of 2006 but last year was hectic and the start of this years cycling season found us riding our singles on a few brevets and a fleche. The tandem also had been stashed in a friend's garage so was out of sight out of mind. Next month is the Northwest Tandem Rally in Corvallis Oregon so it's time to work on the bike and get her on the road. We retrieved the tandem from the garage on Sunday only to discover that our friends garage was no the best place to stash the bike - the captains pedals are green with a science experiment and both leather brooks saddles have mold under them. We installed the new stem, wider handlebars, new rim strips and new tires on Sunday. We still need to replace the cables, housing, install new stoker bars, new stoker stem, and new fenders and wrap the handlebars. The bike is now locked up tight in the bicycle storage room at the condo - among the neglected campus bikes and old folk cruisers. I once had parts taken off a bicycle when I stored it in there instead of in the condo so I'm a bit leery of leaving it in there but schlepping a long bike up and down the stairs is not fun and frankly I don't think there is room in there.

About the bike:
1984 Silver Santana Sovereign
Strong light cranks with 1/2 Step gearing
27" 6 speed Phil Wood 48 Spoke Wheels
Suntour Shifters and Derailleur
Nitto Dirt Drop Stem Nitto Dirt Drop Captain Handlebars
Brooks Saddles - Captain Hunter Green Professional - Stoker Sprung B17

Music for Randonneuring

2006-05-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

Okay so its the middle of the night and you need to keep yourself amused. My friend Linda recently loaded my MP3 player with some tunes - not I don't listen to it when riding. Several of the tunes she loaded are by the Bare Naked Ladies and are especially appropriate. I've posted the lyrics here for your entertainment. Of course Jimmy Buffet is a winner also for night riding.

Crossin' the highway late last night
He shoulda looked left and he shoulda looked right
He didn't see the station wagon car
The skunk got squashed and there you are!

You got yer
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
You got yer dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinkin' to high Heaven!

Take a whiff on me, that ain't no rose!
Roll up yer window and hold yer nose
You don't have to look and you don't have to see
'Cause you can feel it in your olfactory

Chorus

Yeah you got yer dead cat and you got yer dead dog
On a moonlight night you got yer dead toad frog
Got yer dead rabbit and yer dead raccoon
The blood and the guts they're gonna make you swoon!

Chorus

C'mon stink!
You got it!
It's dead, it's in the middle
Dead skunk in the middle!
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinkin' to high heaven!
All over the road, technicolor man!
Oh, you got pollution
It's dead, it's in the middle
And it's stinkin' to high, high Heaven

Dead Squirrel

2006-05-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

My friend Shane sent me these pictures today. Note this wasn't Shane that hit the squirrel. Last year I rolled over a squirel's tail while commuting to work, I'm glad I didn't suck him up into the top tube like this poor guy did. I wonder how the guy is? I would think he went down with the damage to his bike. Poor Squirrel - Poor Bike - Poor Guy.
For further information on suiciding squirrel's there is a website set up to track your encounters.
For a fun google search - Squirrel Suicide will bring up more stories of the proclivity of squirrel's to throw themselves under vehicles.

Ride of Silence

2006-05-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

I first heard about this ride when I was attending Texas Hell Week in March of 2004. Larry Schwartz a very well known long distance cyclist had been struck and killed by the mirror of a school bus. Larry's fiance and a few friends organized the first Ride of Silence in the Dallas area. Not long after Ken Kiefer and Bob Breedlove were also killed by motorists. These folks had years of experience cycling and were struck down by inattentive motorists. Some say Bob Breedlove crossed the center line - I have heard otherwise most likely we will never know what happened to the RAAM legend.

Last year on a Sunday morning ride one of our own Gail Alef from the Seattle Community was struck down while doing what she loved riding her bicycle with her friends on a quiet road. This hit too close to home, this was on a ride I have attended many times and a road I have ridden on and I knew all the folks she was riding with. I just had not crossed paths with Gail. We attended Gail's Memorial Service and found out more about how special she had been to her family and friends. I was especially spooked to see all the pictures of Gail wearing bicycle jerseys I also own.

I attended the Ride of Silence last year - only 4 riders attended this year it is expected to be much larger due to Gail's death and the organization of Gary Straus and Duane Wright.

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006 - Video

2006-05-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

Anna Davis one of my fellow riders at PAC Tour Desert Camp was also there to create a video. The video turned out really well follow the link below to see how much fun we all had.

http://www.elandocumentary.com/pactour/

Monica's 15th Annual Issaquah to Snoqualmie Pass Ride

2006-05-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

Monica and I at the Start of the Ride

The plan for this weekend had been to do the SIR 400K but the legs said no when I was commuting home one night last week. My friend Duane also was taking a pass on the 400k and was planning to do a pass ride instead. Here is the ride description:

Ramrod/Rapsody Training - Monica's 15th Annual Issaquah to Snoqualmie Pass Ride
A great Ramrod and Rapsody training ride. We'll take the scenic and hilly back roads of Issaquah to Snoqualmie Falls and North Bend. Snack break in North Bend before we start the real hills to Snoqualmie Pass. We'll stay off I-90 as much as possible, including a possible scenic trip up Denny Creek (assuming the snow has melted), which will be the last 6 miles before you reach the Pass. Lunch stop on top at the Pass. Expect 4,800 to 5,000 feet of climbing on this route. There are no services on this ride, so be prepared to be self-sufficient.

Denny Creek was not open so we spent more time on I-90 then we would doing this ride later in the season - but there were some nice side roads and the new connection from Issaquah to I-90 is really nice. Coming down the pass we faced some tough headwinds and a few climbs - by the end of the ride my legs were shot. Duane and I headed to XXX Rootbeer a landmark in Issaquah for some suberb Rootbeer floats as a reward.

Sunscreen would have been a good idea

Fleche Pacifique

2006-05-08T11:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I participated in Fleche Pacifique. We rode from Seattle to Harrison Hot Springs. Our team name was the Hamsters because we stuff our cheeks with food along the way and keep those wheels spinning getting lots of exercise. Team members were myself, Bob Magyar, Duane Wright and Tom Killion all on single bikes. Our route went from the Sand Point neighborhood in Seattle, Redmond, Fall City, Carnation, Monroe, Snohomish, Arlington, La Conner, Bellingham, Ferndale, Nugent's Corner, Sumas, Chillawac, and then to Harrison Hot Springs. We aimed to ride over 360 kilometers (225 miles) in 24 hours which is the minimum distance required to participate in the event. Though for seasoned cyclists this does not seem undoable the Fleche has its own set of challenges. One of the challenges is that this is a team event and you can't just do your own thing and ride at your own pace as you can on other brevets. You need to ride with your team and finish as a team. The other challenge is no stops are allowed over 2 hours in length for faster riders they can easily cover the distance in much shorter then 24 hours and get a long rest break but that's not allowed. For slower riders like me and my group a long sleep break was not on the agenda but we did take many mini stops for bio breaks and to eat. Our team took one break too many instead of a short breakfast break in Bellingham it ended up being over an hour and cutting into our riding time - then throw in a few flats and its not hard to go beyond time. Luckily we had padded our mileage and when we went beyond time over 24 hours on the road we had already done 366 km. We rode into Harrison Hot Springs around 5:20 p.m just in time to have a quick shower before heading out to a very well earned calorie laden dinner at the Black Forest a very nice German Restaurant. The next morning was the Fleche Banquet which is one of the best parts of the Fleche. You get to hear the stories of all the other teams and of course eat some really good food. This year 13 teams (59 Riders/ 57 finishers) participated (a team consists of 3-5 machines) the largest team had 11 riders on it with 2 tandems and the smallest team had only 3 members (they didn't finish with a complete team due to one member needing sleep) so its always good to have at least 4 machines in case things happen. The teams that started on Friday night had good weather, Saturdays starters could not say the same - 12 hours of rain for team Green & Gold. One team even brought a wetsuit to the banquet and said that they had wished they had worn that instead. Trophies are also given out at the banquet. The Trophies are for the most mileage, the team with a member under 35 and over 50 and the team with the oldest average age.

The Team - Hot Springs Hamsters

PAC Tour - Hip Chick Reunion and Honary Chick Greg

Share the Road - Plate 750

2006-05-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

BK00750 is my new license plate for my car.
Sorry I'm not car free but kudo's to those of you that are. I'll get the plate in the mail this week and am excited to have done this part for bicycle advocacy.

Affordable Bicycle Trips

2006-04-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

Those of you that know me - know I love to travel but the budget doesn't allow extravagant trips. I have a few tour companies to suggest to you that fit my budget and that I've had great fun with. I got email today from Peter & Anna who run Gabriola Cycle and Kayak. I did a bicycle trip with this company about 6 years ago which started and finished in Phoenix Arizona we stayed at Super 8 Hotels and rode about 60 miles a day so lots of time for sight seeing yet still some challenging miles. I also met some really great folks on the trip that I'm still in contact with.

For bicycle touring in Europe the company I would recommend is called Wide Open Roads. I did an amazing trip with them that went from Bordeaux to Alpe'd huez. Susie and Andy only do this for a few months of the year and the rest of the year they live in Australia. I also hope to travel with them again soon.

Grin and Bike It

2006-04-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

This month I'm captaining a commute team for the Group Health Commute Challenge. It's a big company but I only know a few people who also bike commute. But now I feel like that old shampoo commercial. I'll tell 2 people and they will tell 2 people and so on and so on and so. So now I have a team of 4 folks including me and it may grow to a few more folks. This is good inspiration to get me on my bike every day instead of the bus - never my car I can't afford the parking and the angst of traffic. Also base miles build endurance like nothing else. Information on the Group Health Commute Challenge can be found at Cascade Bicycle Club.

3 Capes 300k Brevet

2006-04-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

I'd never ridden the Oregon Coast before and now I can appreciate why it is one of the most popular routes in the United States. The views are incredible of the big beaches, the Pacific Ocean, Haystock Rocks and just incredible vistas. We started the day at 6:00 am at McMenimans Grand Lodge in Forrest Grove Oregon. I believe about 50 riders showed up for the ride including my usual posse of club riders.

Of course the ride started at a blistering pace and its always fun to see all the red blinkies on the riders as they trail off into the distance. I quickly was left behind as my computer popped off (I need to replace the computer mount the tab is missing) at some rough railroad tracks. After retrieving my computer I set off to catch the peleton - luckily my friend Michael yelled at me and I looked at my cue sheet to find out I had almost missed a turn. Just a bit later the zippy riders passed me as they had missed the turn. If you knew the area this turn could have been avoided and you would have been back enroute with no problems of couse this was where the Secret Control was so I'm very glad I made the turn. From there we climbed for awhile over the Pacific Ridges and then a big descent which seemed to take forever due to headwinds coming up from the coast.

After the Descent the route took us to Tillamook home of the factory where the best cheese and ice cream come from - alas it was too far off route for the non speedy riders like me to stop at but I want to come back another time. Around Tillamook were lots of dairy fams - with Jersey cattle. The Jersey cattle are a fawn color and they had udders the size of the whole wide world.

After Tillamook we headed out to Cape Mears on the scenic Coastal Bicycle Route- what great views but of course. Alas what goes down must come up if you look at the ride profile we had a sharp climb out of Cape Mears.

Lunch awaited us at Netarts - Susan France the RBA had set up a nice spread. We found out that our friends Ralph and Carol had an accident on their tandem and had been taken off to the hospital. Ralph has a seperated shoulder and Carol got quite a bang on her noggin. They are going to be AOK but alas are off the bike for awhile and the bike looks like it needs some TLC also - both sets of handlebars are all busted up. Lunch also brought a quick kiss from Hubby who was also riding his own ride we don't tend to ride together much on these rides due to our different paces.

After lunch and regrouping with my possee we headed to Cape Look Out - Look Out - look at those views - haystack rocks, hang gliders and beautiful beaches. Then a weird place called Sand Lake home of Dune Buggies and many ATV's. Not my kinda of riding but they sure were having fun.

The third cape was Cape Kiwanda - then Pacific City which has a really great pub The Pelican Pub (another place to visit another day). We settled for Coffee and a muffin and watching the ocean for a few minutes. Time to leave the beach and head inland.

We went up and over Sourgrass Summit which was not much compared to what we had already climbed today. My group was going to stop at DQ for another break but I dropped off the back and was starving again much sooner so I made a quick break at the Taco Time for a veggie mexie burrito and a refill of the camelbak. When I passed the DQ I did see several bicycles there but they did not belong to my crew.

I rode to Amity Oregon and got my card signed at the next control. Since dark was falling I grouped up with Tom, Scott, Bill and Ray to finish the ride. At some point Scott, Bill and Ray got ahead of us so Tom and I finished together. Hubby finished just a little later - safe and sound.

All and All it was a great day - would I do this route again - You Bettcha. Would I recommend this route to the casual cyclist - yes it would make a great 2 day ride with a possible overnight in Pacific City so you could have dinner at the Pelican Pub.

Girls - Horses - Bicycles

2006-04-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

The Zippy (Race Across America Riders - Michelle Grainger and Cat Berge) told us that due to having less time on the road they have more time to do goofy stuff off the bike.

I sometimes wonder if some women cyclists have moved from horses to bicycles. When I sold my horse when I was in college I was already an avid cyclist having done a tour when I was only 13. At the time I entered cycling - I liked how much cheaper it was then riding. You don't have to shoe or feed a bicycle. But now I'm finding it's probably not that much cheaper. It's fun to buy your bike a buddy - the zippy bike - the singlespeed bike and bike clothes are not cheap. Best of all its fun to travel and meet other cyclists like these goofy girls.

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006 - Tucson

2006-04-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight I head home but have the day to play in Tucson. Julie and I rode down to check out the University of Arizona in downtown Tucson. Also went to the shops on 4th Avenue - we found a really cool shop called Native Seeds. Native Seeds carries all sorts of Southwest products, handmade bowls, utensils and of course beans and spices. It was nice to find out that they have an internet presence also so we can buy more bean soup if we get addicted to it. The workers in the shop were both from the Seattle area and told us they get a bit tired of the dusty weather and their noses always dripping. Julie and I also loved the Adobe Houses located near the University. I had scheduled late check out with the plan to just hang out until my flight this evening so we bicycled back to the hotel to check me out. The clerk at the hotel was SUPER nice and just said keep the room until I left. I packed up the bike, took a swim, finished packing up my purchases, got a subway sandwich across the street and took the shuttle to the Airport. At the Airport I ordered myself a big beer, ate my sandwich (too messy for the plane) and waited for my flight.
When I arrived in Seattle - I had to wait quite a while for the bike because it seemed like all of Seattle had been out of town golfing. I have never seem so many golf clubs in one place.

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006 - Sierra Vista to Tucson

2006-04-08T16:55:00.000-07:00

Last day of camp we rolled early but I didn't get too far before I spotted a fellow desert camp rider with a flat tire. I stopped to help her change it (actually just loaned her my non wussy pump - a Zefal frame pump). Not too far down the road we came across the PAC van picking up a rider that had a blow out, I took a sag to the first rest stop because my legs were fried from riding every day for a week.

To the tune of Rock Lobster - Down Down Down . . . . No wonder I was so wiped out the first day. In returning to Tucson after we got up the hill it was all downhill from there.

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006 - Bisbee Ride

2006-04-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

I love this town!!!
Coffee and Shopping to be done.
Ride up Mule Pass for grilled cheese sandwiches, then a great descent and a tail wind most of the way back to Sierra Vista.

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006 - 200K Brevet Day

2006-04-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

Early day today to get in the miles and beat the heat.
We headed out with ride leader Jim Hvalka to get us through the Fort which has some tricky turns (which Barb and I found out about). Everyone was being way too zippy for it being early in the morning. We stopped at the Fort to show ID (oops where is mine - I thought I had it - got let in not turned back) This place is a big Army Fort and is more like a small town then anything else. We had to stop to wait for PT to finish and the road to open we talked to a 19 year old soldier, she told us that the army believed cycling was not physical enough. She was just yanking our chains of course. Somehow I can't see the Army issuing every one army green Mtn. or road bikes - its much cheaper to issue them Army boots. The zippy group soon sped off after asking directions to the Black Tower. Hey Black Tower that way and I follow Barb down a rough road and steep descent. We get to the bottom and of course we have taken a wrong turn. We weren't supposed to go to the Black Tower just where the road splits off. We turned around and exited the Fort at the West Gate. We spotted a giant jack rabbit at the gate but couldn't get a picture he hopped off way too fast. So added an additonal 5 miles to our ride for the day. A stop at Sonita for some bottled Starbucks (no Doubleshots - bummer). Susan Notarangelo was in Sonita and reminded us that the Lunch Van closed at 2:00 pm we told her no worries and that we would take care of ourselves. Barb and I headed up the road to Patagonia. Patagonia is a very cute town we ran into the rest of the group (today's non brevet ride turned around at Patagonia) - Susan C.'s bike had a mechanical so she was sagging the rest of the day with Lon but she was very happy to have found espresso and also that the place was liberal lots of anti-Bush cartoons. I told Barb that we should stop at the Deli/Espresso stand on the way back. Jim H. was already on his way back and warned us about construction on the way to the Airport. The guy directing traffic at the road closure offered to sign our brevet cards but we said no and headed on. Hey thats a dumb thought but aren't we almost in Mexico? We got our cards signed at the Nogales International Airport and headed back. Back through the construction and we flushed a Red Tail Hawk with a snake in its talons. Luckily Mr. Hawk did not drop his lunch on us. Shortly after the hawk incident - we spotted one of the PAC Tour vans - it was our secret control. We took a short break and talked to Lon and Susan C. they had pulled over at a roadside area that featured a cool shrine that was dedicated to some folks that had a run in with the indians way back when - yes folks this is the wild west. Alas we are not making good time and need to make the next control so no lunch in Patagonia. We got our cards signed in Sonita and went down the street to the Fuel Stop for some fresh Deli Sandwiches. We took a long lunch and discussed if we should chance riding back through the fort since I don't have my ID with me. Barb said yes - we would be able to get though and sure enough she was right. I just kept looking through pockets and the guards got annoyed and let me through. Riding through the Fort was hilly but beautful. We got back to the hotel around 6:00 pm. We finished the Brevet and had a great day on the road. We could have made much better time but Barb had a flat and hey its vacation so need to take time to look at the Cactus and Cows.

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006 - Tombstone Ride

2006-04-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

Where the West was Fun.
Fed Ex Truck on Main Street
First Gunfight at 11:30 am
Not the Pony Express - Pony Espresso
HEADWINDS
Rode with Susan Notarangelo

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006 - Coronado Ride

2006-04-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Melissa - a Rando Grrl from British Columbia. It was cool getting to know Melissa better - I had met her on-line on the bicycling.com long distance forum and then met her at the Canadian Fleche last year. I had posted to the forum that I was attending this week of desert camp and said Hey Melissa there is room for you too. Thoughts on meeting her - she is one tough rider, very steady and able to hold her own in geeky bicycle conversations. Melissa wasn't able to ride the brevet with me due to her being a Canadian and needing a Military Escort through the fort.

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006 - Tucson to Sierra Vista

2006-04-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

The tour leaders determined a different route for us to leave town due to it being Monday morning and lots of traffic on the roads.

Hey its Hot down here, and we are going to be riding about 5,000 feet above sea level all week. So will take a few days to get acclimatized.

PAC Tour Desert Camp 2006

2006-04-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I arrived in Tucson Arizona to attend the first ever week of PAC Tour Women's Training Camp. A group of us from Redmond Cycling Club traveled to Tucson together. We caught the shuttle to the hotel and chatted with a few of the folks that had finished up Mountain Tour Week. I talked to Paul Fleming and found out that he had enjoyed his week of riding on his new Soma Smoothie ES. Paul said that the Steel Som had beat him up a bit compared to a titanium bicycle. Those roads in Arizona though are really rough with lots of chip seal and cracks from freezing.

Today we met the crew including Lon Haldeman and Susan Noterangelo and put together our bicycles. We also took a ride to the Sagurro National Park which is beautiful and did a 10 mile loop ride within the park. We talked to a few other folks that were out riding and were given a recomendation for lunch - just a convience store down the road but they had great granita's (icey coffee drinks) that hit the spot with riding in the heat.

We headed back to the hotel for a short presentation on camp and what was required of us and what they would provide. One of the things that was highly stressed was paceline safety - my friend Anne Marie later told me this is because they had accidents on almost all the previous weeks and had to have riders helicoptered out.

We walked down the street to Morgan's for a quick dinner and hit the sack early because we start riding at 7:00 am tomorrow.

No Tahuya for Me

2006-03-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

The plan had been to ride the SIR 300k which is a devilish ride around Hood Canal - I know you are saying isn't that where she rode last weekend. Well yes and no - the SIR 300k includes Big Valley Road, Port Ludlow and a journey out of Deliverance though the Tahuya Hills. If your interested in reading about this years ride - check out my friend Kent Peterson's Blog and webpage. Hubby and I decided not to ride it - pretty late on Friday night - Honeywell wanted him to work for some hours this weekend which would not be possible when one is dead tired and I'm off to Arizona next weekend for PAC Tour women's week and did not want to get hurt on this ride and not have a good vacation.

We will go to Oregon next month and ride the 300k with those folks outside of Tillamok.

So what did we do this weekend - of course we rode our bicycles. We did a Lake Washington loop with a bunch of friends. The exciting thing on this ride was the borrowed Bacchetta that my friend Linda was riding. Linda - has something going on with her neck and thinks that if she is going to continue riding that its going to be on a rolling lawn chair. I've ridden with Peter Liekio who also has a Bacchetta and know that they are nice bikes - but Linda did herself proud on this thing. I would say the most difficultly she had was starting and stopping and since I screwed up and led us through downtown Bellevue instead of the bypass we did a lot of that.

Sunday - Hubby headed off to work and I went and rode with Cascade Bicycle Club. Every year they do a series of rides called Cascade Training Series to get people ramped up for STP and other events. I like and dislike the rides:
PRO: It's fun to ride with a group
CON: The groups are GIANT

I also took a trip to REI to use my 20% off coupon that they send you with your dividend. My dividend was only $10.00 with all the Kayaking Gear I bought last year that does seem impossible but its true. I was looking for something for Hubby's B-Day but alas it seems like we have it all - yes we are gear heads. The thing I did find to buy was a new on the market product - it turns your big mouth nalgene bottle into a french press coffee maker. It's called the press-Bott and its very cool. I'll probably take it to Arizona with me so I'll have some good coffee. Maybe a trip to Zoka this week is in order to stock up.

So only 80 miles this weekend - but I'm psyched for vacation and ready to go - I had time this weekend to get stuff together for the trip.

RCC Hood Canal 200k

2006-03-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

The bike was still set up from last weeks SIR 200k so just had to add some air to the tires. I had to leave home very early in the morning to catch the 6:10 ferry to Bainbridge. I grabbed a few things before heading out the door but then managed to set down my sunglasses and pull the floor lamp into my face while trying to manuever around extra bike wheels, a wine rack and the bike pump. Ouch that hurt - maybe it is a sign just to climb back into bed and not do this ride today since it is almost the same ride I will be doing next weekend. Alas Hubby didn't get up to check on me so guess I had to ride.
Arrived downtown at the ferry terminal just in time to see the last cars loading - the toll keeper called ahead and told them one more cyclist and she is peddling fast which I did.
Upstairs on the ferry grabbed coffee, a breakfast sandwich and met up with my fellow riders. Very few unfamiliar faces and a few I didn't expect to see on this ride.
The ride quickly crosses Bainbridge Island, crosses Agate Pass and then the Hood Canal Bridge. The Hood Canal Bridge is always dreaded on these rides, we have had riders go down on it and get hurt. We took it easy across the bridge and headed onto the turn off for Quilcene. A quick stop and regroup in Quilcene at the convience store for some chocolate milk and a granola bar. I rode with my friend Tom for awhile and Tom commented that he was digesting the chimichangas from the hotcase in Quilcene. I told Tom that had been risky - he replied because this "wasn't RAMROD" he could take time and eat what he wanted instead of the Ensure some of our cohorts of the day were toating along in their camelbak pockets. Tom said he was looking forward to a Cheeseburger in Hoodsport - I said I would stick with a fish sandwich but must have french frys. One of my favorite parts of this ride is the town names, we rode through Hamma Hamma, Lilliwup, Dosewalips and then into Hoodsport. The cafe in Hoodsport was busy so I thought I would buy Tom lunch and it would be there on the table when he arrived just a few minutes after me. Tom doesn't show up - so I gave his cheeseburger to some nice folks. See there is such a thing as a free lunch - but only if you show up for it. From Hoodsport to near the finish I rode with my friend Peg. We kept a nice pace going and I spotted the Gyros and Cheesesteak restaurant so knew we were in the homestretch. At Belfair we head towards Bremerton on some nice side roads but then have to go on a Highway 3 overpass to get onto the bike lanes in Bremerton. With only 3 more miles until the ferry - my bike starts to feel funny - yep a rear flat and no time to change it unless I want to miss the ferry. I saw a bus stop with someone waiting and asked when the next bus was due and where it was headed. She said 5 minutes and the ferry terminal. So the best $1.25 I spent on a ride - I made the ferry and caught a lift home with someone who had driven to the start of the ride.

SIR 200K BREVET

2006-03-12T15:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we rode the SIR 200K. The ride started in Kent at our friend Greg Cox's house we loaded up the carless riders Tom and Dr. K. from our neighborhood into hubbys 1990 Chevrolet Beauville Van. A drive to Kent, with just time to unload, sign in and hit the road.
The ride went to Dash Point a stretch of road I had yet to explore and I really enjoyed it beautiful views of the Sound and quiet roads. We stopped at Town Center Foods (control) to strip down and get some coffee (Starbucks Double Shot - canned coffee) From there we headed to Black Diamond for a stop at the Black Diamond Bakery for a yummy coconut doughnut and some chocolate milk. I was with John Vincent at this pont and looked like he could have been pushed over with a feather when I ordered the chocolate milk. I don't think he had ever considered that as riding fuel. I talked to him for awhile about his riding plans for the upcoming season - he plans on riding the California Triple Crown which consists of three double centuries and if you complete all three you can purchase a very cool jersey that shows you are a studly finisher of the Triple Crown. From Black Diamond the route took us on back roads to Enumclaw (with a secret control run by Mark Thomas and Peter Mckay) I made a quick stop at Charlie's restaurant in Enumclaw when I came out I spotted Dr. K. in front of me. Up the grind to Greenwater with being an out and back one gets to see the riders coming back for the home stretch. Lots of snow and slush on the side of the road but great weather - a refueling stop at the Greenwater (Control) convience store included some more lovely rando food (buddig turkey and string cheese) then down the hill. I spotted hubby riding up the hill with a rider wearing an extremely bright orange vest. Back in Enumclaw a quick stop at the Circle K (Control) found us at a regroup before heading out for the last stretch. The Circle K facilities get a gold star - a scent machine, bathroom rugs, a table with tablecloth and even fake flowers. Up one last hill - and then back to Greg's for a Chili feed and a chance to visit with fellow riders. I finished with the rider in the orange vest - he turned out to be Albert - the ride leader of the month from Cascade - it was strange to go home and read the courier and hey there is that guy we both rode with.

Rollercoaster - 60 Miles of Fun Fun Fun

2006-03-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

Rollercoaster is one of our club rides that we do several times a year. It starts with catching the ferry from West Seattle to Southworth. Much of the route follows the course for the Peninsula Metric Century that is put on by the Tacoma Wheelmen. From Southworth a nice ride to Port Orchard for a potty stop and quick shove of a power bar down the gullet. Continue on for 30 hilly miles with incredible views of the Puget Sound and Bremerton. Once we reach Gig Harbor we go to this great soup and sandwich place called Susannah's and then a quick ride back to Southworth the catch the ferry back to West Seattle. Yesterdays ride quickly splintered into several groupos out front and with the slower riders like me bringing up the rear. We thought we were going to be late for lunch so took a short cut up Rosedale road which ended up not being too much of a shortcut it added hills but maybe only cut 2 miles. After a most excellent lunch at Susannah's it was time to head out for the ferry. I made the ferry with the rest of the group and my hubby didn't. There was quite the discussion on if I should have waited for him and if the situation had been reversed he should have waited no questions asked. If it was on a brevet neither one of us would have waited for the other if we had the possibility of a dnf. He had the car keys and the house keys so I was not leaving him stranded in West Seattle. I just went and hung out at a friend's house for a few hours until he got home. He had a good afternoon talking on the cell phone and telling motorcyclists about his cool speed blend tires. The motorcyclist all want to know where they can get a pair.