Mas bike jog

Dough is getting bored with his blogging and I understand a bit why. You can say "I rode" only so many different ways, but right now, amidst mucho tennis and school, any time on the bike is a garnish on an otherwise messy cake. I had a brief window today after school and before indoor practice (weather, you know), so I again rode the Bleriot and took a 7-miler. I liked it and I've found it an excellent antidote for work stress and business this time of year.

As for bikes, yes, the QB is on the way, perhaps arriving next week some time. As someone stated, it'll be my 2nd RBW ride, but I'm hesitant to put myself in the category of someone with 2 Rivs. I just checked and a new Homer Hilsen frame costs more than the entire QB. The Bleriot, a bike I like very much, listed for around $1700, but a Saluki- same fundamental bike albeit with fancier finishing- listed for twice that. So, yes, I'll now have 2 rivrides, but for the price of a "real" riv. We have a big furniture-storage locker-couch-Detroit-grandma's table round robin fiasco to undertake in May and at the start of the summer. With that and some toy culling, I'm going to get the garage in tip-top bike shape this summer. I scratched the devil out of the head tube of the Bleriot, and I don't want to do the same to the QB.

Pretty soon we'll be into the thick of Regions and eventually the State tournament, so I'll prolly be disappearing again, but my bike jogs with continue with me. I'm almost 400m ahead of 2008 pace, which puts me on a near-3000m pace for the year. With a little more century training this summer, I'll feeling the need to enjoy every minute of it.

...

a.m.

sweet honeysuckle

wet earth

tree tunnel

bird song

2 wheels on a dark morning

Purchase

Purchase completed.  More info to come in the near future.  Pics to follow after that.

As for my actual riding, I've fallen upon the idea this busy Spring of the bike jogs.  After taking one last night, I got up this morning not too terribly early and used the LHT/SON for another bike jog, this time doing about 6 miles in and around Seneca Gds, but not into the park.  No, I'm not happy with the LHT shifting, and OYLC is going to have to redress that after paying them some $$ for derailer, cable and chain work, but shifting aside it was a great way to start the day and I thank Pondero most of all for the encouragement (incidentally) of the short bike jog as a means and not just as an end.

Peace and smell the many flowers.

Bike Jog

Something I should've been doing all along.  8m bike jog from house to Scenic Loop and back.  30min-ish of 2-wheel solitude and Clear Comprehension.  Was accompanied by bugs and buggers, in this case little 10-somethings with ma and pa out on roadies at dusk.  little buggers certainly rode my ass off.  Deep inhale and some equilibrium.  Great Stuff.

Deposit? What Deposit?

Hmmm, it wil all work out, but I put a deposit down on a large-ish object and when I called (just a few minutes ago), the dealer in kind didn't seem to have a obvious record of the deposit.  Bummer.  It will all work out just fine, or it won't, which would mean that they don't have the merchandise in stock that they're supposed to have.  Do I need to give any more veiled information?

Sunday stroll

Tennis, tennis, tennis, same tune, different year.  April:

• 2005- 0 miles
• 2006- 77 miles
• 2007- 140 miles
• 2008- 18 miles
• 2009- 86 miles so far

I added 21m  to my total today with a really nice ride with Dave.  The fam had plans for a few hours, so I called him to see about a spin.  He parked at the house and we took a basic version of the Indian Hills Loop, this one including a tiny bit of extra climbing off Mockingbird Valley and back into Indian Hills.  I think he's feeling some fitness in the legs, and my lack of riding showed, as he worked me pretty hard on any type of incline (much less flat spot).  Our ride presented us with mid-80s and brilliant sun and to honor such a ride, we stopped at Dundee Tavern for a make-up pint, since we were unable to grab one after the Paris-Redux ride.  Once there, Dave informed me that today is his birthday, so I treated some chips-n-dip and was very pleased to have taken a spin with him.  I doubt I'll break 100 for the month, but I'm already mentally planning for a big summer of riding...and maybe a new bike!

RCCS Paris-Redux

I've done my little seasonal disappearance with the demands of tennis.  At least I'm better than last April when I rode 11 miles.  We had a good time on the RiveryCityCyclingSociety Paris-Redux ride yesterday, doing a "classic" P-R with flats, crashes, pouring rain and general mayhem.  The ride was scheduled for 22m first, which I later edited to 27, but ended up being 20m due to the time spent with flats (3x) and the "crash".  Don't know if I'll get on a bike the rest of the week, but we'll see.

Boo Yoo Yehuda

Bummer, I read today that Yehuda Moon has gone on indefinite hiatus. I came onto it quite last and can't count myself as a regular fan, but when I did take a peek, I always found it refreshing. Here's Safe Roads and Tailwinds for Mr. Rick Smith.

Truth Stranger than Fiction

Chandra Nebula or Maradona's 'Hand of God'

More Alleyway Exploring

Put in an hour-n-change goofing around, plus I had a detour to OYLC for a spare tube and then to Mom's to help her move a TV. Take a look at a few of our options for a couple weeks from now.

new stretch

To a 'T'

mildly gross

much grosser

stripped down Crosscheck with front flat

Paris-Redux Recon II

I exploded out the door this afternoon for a 1-hour recon fest, tying Butchertown with Crescent Hill and back through the park. Crescent Hill provided me (us) with 3 nice stretches of brick and should provide a nice closing backdrop before the Beargrass Trail and back through Cherokee to finish up the ride. I did decide to move 2 early portions next to Cherokee Pkwy to be finishing stretches. It's gonna be fun, or at least tiring.

**It should be noted that the above cobblestone pic is, in fact, nowhere near the 'Ville. I assume it's some bucolic European village, but our ride will be a bit grittier and a bit less pintoresco.

Where I want to ride...

courtesy of Cosmic Country Noir

Bernheim April 1st

We had a nice family+friends afternoon at Bernheim under perfect conditions: 67F, blue skies and plentiful sun. We hike first and chilled at a picnic area, with the adults running their traps and the boys doing what boys should do, play in the mud, the creek, play ball and generally make mayhem.

Pine stand

Lots o' boys.

The research forest

Canopy bridge

Bicycle Grabbag

After being lazy Monday I got out Tuesday for a little spin with LithoDale during one of his Lunchtime Cycling outings, this one "cross-referenced" as a show-n-go RCCS ride too. The original plan was to do a 20m loop that ascended the dreaded Moser Knob and then meandered through the country before diving back in N'Albany. My original plan was to ride there and later back home, giving me a nice 50-miler or so, but that didn't quite happen and I drove. On my arrival I was pleased to see his co-worker 'T' joining us as a group of 3. 'T' hadn't been on the bike in a while because he had been recuperating from a blown Achilles Heel (OUCH!) while marathoning. With this in mind, our route instead included an ascent of the slightly milder Edwardsville Hill. Of course, any ride with LithoDale included his favorite activity of riding a montrously large gear with whateve hill he finds, so he did a good job dragging 'T' and me along this 17-mile loop. I rode the BR for a change, thinking about potential rain and a few fewer pounds of bike to haul. It was a nice mid-day treat and I understand how LD can get addicted to them, just as I miss my a.m. commute when I don't have the option otherwise.

Wednesday provided an early, quick opportunity b/c the schedule was otherwise full for the day. We had a 10a.m. appointment, so at first rise I exploded out of bed and hit the road, this time on the Rans Rocket, yes Dave, a 'bent ride. 'Bent riding brings its own pleasures and pains- in this case that of a consistently sore right foot- but the vibe of the morning ride couldn't have been easily ruined. I sit here remembering the 40F cool temps and perfect blue, vibrant skies. I was very, very in the moment regardless of speed or destination. My foot eventually felt better after I stopped pushing larger gears and just slowed down (to smell Spring flowers?). I put in a 15m total of very satisfying miles before a busy family day (to be discussed later).

Today's paper has an article about a potential "bicycle station" or something like that coming to Louisville, courtesy of Obama's stimulus $$. In fact, it is the lead story on their on-line version. Boy, must be a slow news day. I don't know what/how I feel about this. I guess I hope it's nice and that people use it. "Build it, and they will come".