This local rider whom I met once when I was picking up a frame I bought from one of his riding buddies is a national competitor. I periodically check his blog to see how he's riding and saw he and a group were at Shindagin the day after Kev and I were there. It would have been cool to meet out there on the trails as I am sure he was riding with the crew from the Geneva Bicycle Center.
Ok, now back to the Tour...
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Birthday Confrontation
Happy birthday, ya wanna be biker. Well, I guess I am a biker sort of but not the one I wanna be - still working on that, one pedal stroke at a time.
Today was a muggy one, in the 90s, not the most ideal for pedalin' around. But to make the mood more humid, there was a bit of a vehicle / bicyclist encounter. I hope I didn't give cyclist too bad of a name but there were some one fingered salutes (the other guy started it) and some words exchanged. I caught him off guard with the concept that the cyclist has the right to be in the road and be treated like a vehicle. He countered that I could get hit, which is true, but I told him it would be his fault - not entirely true but still... Basically it all comes down (at least in my book) to being, as Dad puts it, "You can be right and you can be dead right." I try to ride smart, keep an eye out for things, don't cut through traffic often, only run red lights after coming to a point when I can stop if I have to and make sure that no one is coming. Some of these things violate NYS laws of riding in the road. This website is a bit more user friendly. Apparently, cyclists Rochester can choose to ride on the sidewalk anywhere except in the Central Business District - I wonder if that applies to the path along the river...
All in all, I live to ride another day. And now back to the Tour...
Today was a muggy one, in the 90s, not the most ideal for pedalin' around. But to make the mood more humid, there was a bit of a vehicle / bicyclist encounter. I hope I didn't give cyclist too bad of a name but there were some one fingered salutes (the other guy started it) and some words exchanged. I caught him off guard with the concept that the cyclist has the right to be in the road and be treated like a vehicle. He countered that I could get hit, which is true, but I told him it would be his fault - not entirely true but still... Basically it all comes down (at least in my book) to being, as Dad puts it, "You can be right and you can be dead right." I try to ride smart, keep an eye out for things, don't cut through traffic often, only run red lights after coming to a point when I can stop if I have to and make sure that no one is coming. Some of these things violate NYS laws of riding in the road. This website is a bit more user friendly. Apparently, cyclists Rochester can choose to ride on the sidewalk anywhere except in the Central Business District - I wonder if that applies to the path along the river...
All in all, I live to ride another day. And now back to the Tour...
Monday, July 07, 2008
Getting Reacquainted with an Old Friend
I spent a fair amount of time on the bike this fourth of July holiday weekend. On the fourth, I hauled out one of the logs that will soon be firewood to heat my parents' house with this winter and created a "log ride" to practice on. This involved getting out the chain saw - something I had never used. However, everything went fine although the ramp on one end was a bit too steep. The neighbors must have thought I was a bit off because I spent about two hours riding a figure 8 in the yard, mostly just barely making both wheels on the log and then falling off. I did manage 6 successful full-length traverses (all in the same direction) combined with a few entertaining falls.
After I got bored/frustrated of trying to navigate the log lengthwise, I decided it was time to practice crossing it. I found another smaller log to build a small approach to cross and gave it a shot. After about 2 unsuccessful tries I was nearly over the third time when I did something I have never done - broke my chain.
I was surprised that this happened as the chain probably doesn't have more than a couple of hundred miles on it, if that. I suspect it might have something to do with the very muddy conditions I put it through last weekend but even then, I have trashed more chains in rougher situations and not had a problem. Fortunately, Michael's Trek is also an 8-speed so I borrowed his chain to get me through until I can get to a shop.
On Saturday, Kev and I spent a good portion of the day riding at Shindagin Hollow. It has been probably 2 years since I rode there last and that is way too long - this is such a great place to ride. There were a number of trails I hadn't ridden before and while we saw a number of riders passing as we geared up in the new parking lot, we only saw two other riders out on the trails. There were a few crashes - including me getting ripped off the bike by a branch protruding into the trail and Kev endoing on a benign looking bump - but everyone was ok. Kev's mechanical woes at Shindagin continued as he lost a screw on his derailleur but we fixed it with a well placed stick to keep the cogs from running on the cassette. The last time he was there he blew up his chain a long way from the car. I managed a few crossings of some of the TTFs crews have built over trees - some more unnerving than others. I think I was more apt to try these because someone was there who could drive us out if need be.
We took a break for lunch and then headed back out for about another hour of riding. I think my computer is a bit messed up because when I was grinding up hills it said I was going 10+ mph... So I am not sure how far we went or for how long but we rode from about 11:30 to 5 with a few breaks for repairs and food. All in all, one of the best days of riding I have had since Kingdom Trails.
There are some videos to post but Blogger is being uncooperative tonight so that'll be something to look forward to in future posts...
After I got bored/frustrated of trying to navigate the log lengthwise, I decided it was time to practice crossing it. I found another smaller log to build a small approach to cross and gave it a shot. After about 2 unsuccessful tries I was nearly over the third time when I did something I have never done - broke my chain.
I was surprised that this happened as the chain probably doesn't have more than a couple of hundred miles on it, if that. I suspect it might have something to do with the very muddy conditions I put it through last weekend but even then, I have trashed more chains in rougher situations and not had a problem. Fortunately, Michael's Trek is also an 8-speed so I borrowed his chain to get me through until I can get to a shop.
On Saturday, Kev and I spent a good portion of the day riding at Shindagin Hollow. It has been probably 2 years since I rode there last and that is way too long - this is such a great place to ride. There were a number of trails I hadn't ridden before and while we saw a number of riders passing as we geared up in the new parking lot, we only saw two other riders out on the trails. There were a few crashes - including me getting ripped off the bike by a branch protruding into the trail and Kev endoing on a benign looking bump - but everyone was ok. Kev's mechanical woes at Shindagin continued as he lost a screw on his derailleur but we fixed it with a well placed stick to keep the cogs from running on the cassette. The last time he was there he blew up his chain a long way from the car. I managed a few crossings of some of the TTFs crews have built over trees - some more unnerving than others. I think I was more apt to try these because someone was there who could drive us out if need be.
We took a break for lunch and then headed back out for about another hour of riding. I think my computer is a bit messed up because when I was grinding up hills it said I was going 10+ mph... So I am not sure how far we went or for how long but we rode from about 11:30 to 5 with a few breaks for repairs and food. All in all, one of the best days of riding I have had since Kingdom Trails.
There are some videos to post but Blogger is being uncooperative tonight so that'll be something to look forward to in future posts...
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