Animals

After a long hiatus from cyclonecross, I've decided to step back up and shout out to the world again. Things are going good here: work is fun but very busy, and I've been slowly getting back into shape after slacking on having any kind of a training program.

After buying my first real MTB, I picked up a season pass to Ray's MTB. While MTB is a fun distraction, my heart still belongs to my road bike and the CX bike will be my mistress of pain during the fall. However, one thing that the MTB does offer that road and CX don't is the interaction with animals.

Whether it is the canada geese along the towpath or this guy who explains why it's always important to ride with a light:

the MTB allows you to get up close and personal with mo' nature. You'll even come across some critters who have fallen on hard times and just need a helping hand:

This little sweetie was lost for at least two weeks out at the Cleveland Metroparks Ohio and Erie Canal MTB trail. Sadie had seen her with her two kittens on several occasions, but she was very skittish and wouldn't come near her. A couple of weeks ago I finally got off my tail and went out to the trail where we came across the mother cat again, but this time there was no sign of her kittens. Sadie said they were really friendly and we're hoping someone picked them up and will give them a good home. After seeing the mother at the side of the trail meowing and crying, Sadie and I stopped an popped her inside a camel-back to get her some help. I took her to the Parma Animal Shelter the next morning where I knew she would be cared for properly.

Fast forward to yesterday when I was picking up my cat, Fred, from the Bartels Busack Pet Clinic after work. The mother cat we'd picked up from the trail was in their lobby and available for adoption. Unfortunately, I'm currently caring for my buddy's cat in addition to my own and can't really handle a 3rd at this point. But, I'll check up on her in a week or two and if know one snaps her up to give her a loving home, I may need to reconsider...

So how about you? What's your craziest animal story while riding? Ever been nearly hen pecked by a wild turkey trying to protect her poults? Bears, wolves, mountain lions for you folks outside of Ohio?

Be a Part of the Solution

Kudos to Kevin at the Century Cycles blog for posting the following:

Interested in the future of Bicycle Transportation in Northeastern Ohio? Plan on attending the "Public Citizens Involvement Committee of Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study" (AMATS) meeting tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008 at 7:00pm.

The Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS) is the federally designated agency responsible for directing the cooperative, continuous, and comprehensive (or "3-C") transportation planning process in Summit and Portage counties and the Chippewa Township area in Wayne County. This responsibility entails the development of regional transportation policies, plans, and programs, including the development of a long-term Regional Transportation Plan and a short-term Transportation Improvement Program. Their web site is: www.ci.akron.oh.us/amats

The meeting will be held in the Silver Lake Village Hall at 7:00pm. Call 330-275-2436 for additional information. This meeting will focus on transportation requirements and includes bicycling.

Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study
Citizens Involvement Committee

7:00pm January 24, 2008
Silver Lake Village Hall
2961 Kent Road

Silver Lake, Ohio

South of Sagamore Rd., the combination of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail (20 miles in Summit Co.; crushed limestone) and the Summit Hike & Bike trail (33 miles; paved) provide great cycling opportunities. These trails are widely used, even in the winter months, and they provide residents with a valuable resource. (I really miss my apt. in Stow which was literally a stone's throw away from the H & B trail!)

However, there is plenty of room for expansion, improvement, and addition of cycling facilities (both on and off road). Please show your support for this and other cycling initiatives!

Update:

Additional info on Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study:

2008 Meeting Calendar (40k pdf)
Citizens Involvement Committee Agenda - 1-24-08 (62k pdf)

brrrrrr

Well, instead of getting a ride in on Fri or Sat, we waited 'till today to break out the bikes and hit the road. Timed it almost perfectly in that we were 2 miles from the car when it began to snow hard. We're talking white out too.

A quick meal at the Winking Lizard and coffee at Starbucks was just the ticket for warming up!

Everyone have a safe, wonderful, and Happy Holidays!

Getting some miles in

I was able to take Monday off and get 53 quality miles in with Sadie on the towpath. The weather looked a little iffy at first and throughout the day. We got started in the early afternoon, and missed the brief down pour just before unloading the bikes in the parking lot. There were a couple of other quick showers, one of which we stopped for under a bridge, but we pretty much stayed dry all the way to Akron.

The towpath had been extended about 1/4 mile further south and you could see where they are currently working on extending it further (within view of the First Energy building). Turning around, we had a slight tail wind and the towpath is downhill going north. Right before we got back to the car, there was a steady light rain for the last mile or so. Just enough for us to know we were pretty lucky to stay dry as long as we did.

Rick was bummed that we didn't drag him out (he's not a fan of the towpath). But he had his revenge yesterday; see the following link:

http://web.mac.com/blwmiller/iWeb/Brooke%20Miller%27s%20Official%20Cycling%20Site/Blog/CAC0904B-FAFE-4AF8-AF14-EA979F98F1A8.html

Getting back in the saddle...

Lots has happened since my last update, so I'll give just the quick and dirty:

• Rode over 200mi from 7/12 - 7/15
• Didn't ride at all from 7/16/ - 7/20
• Felt like crap warming up for the Troy Crit with Jason and Rick on 7/21
• Wrecked HARD (27mph), was KO'ed, and got a trip to the ER. This happened 13.2mi into the 20mi Troy Crit.
• Didn't ride at all from 7/22 - 7/27
• Did 30mi 7/28 for a night ride on the towpath
• Did 57mi 7/29 during the 50mi Sweet Corn ride (with the 3 optional hills)
• Felt the sore ribs again and didn't ride from 7/30 - 8/3
• Rode 21mi on 8/4 and led a 54mi MS150 training ride on 8/5
• Having been in the 'habit' now of not riding during the week, took 8/6 - 8/10 off
• 33mi on 8/11 (took the pace up a notch) and 31mi 8/14 (felt like crap but kept a 19mph+ pace).
• Took the remainder of the week off (again new 'habit').

Recovery Ride

Took a quick ride on the towpath to unwind the legs from racing the last 2 days. Left from Rockside and went north to Harvard; the path's really nice since they've added bridges over the 2 busy intersections. Turned around and went south a bit past Rt 82. It was starting to get dark and the bugs were beginning to wake up. I had decided not to grab my glasses - I won't do that again... I hope we get some rain soon, the path is really dusty. Might be good for a run though.

Stats:

Time: 1:42:52
HR: 134avg 168max
Dist: 27.1mi
Speed 15.8mph avg 26.3max
Cad. Avg: 94 Max 118
Ascent: 140ft
KCal: 750

40mi MS150 training ride

Got up on time and fiddled around getting ready. I roll out at 8:40am; needing to be at the Canal Visitor Center at 9am sharp. I take it easy warming up until I get on Rockside, and then I hit the jets and get serious about making the start time.

Fortunately it's pretty much all down hill from Parma to Valley View. I have no problems keeping it above 20mph for an average speed. The CX bike rolls down the road a lot better on Conti Gator Skins then on Ritchie Speedmax Pro CX tires (imagine that). I see Christine at the corner of Rockside and Rt21 with 2 bikes on her car - hmmm. Right after turning onto Canal, I pass 3-4 guys going the other way on the Sunday Spin ride (I think).

Rolling into the parking lot, I'm there in under 20 mins and have plenty of time since Murray had to go home for his helmet. I hadn't gotten time to send out the reminder email, so there were only 6 of us: Murray, Christine, Allan, Linda, Khantie(sp) and me.

The ride goes well. No mechanicals, although Murray and Christine had some shifting problems. The eatery we went to last year wasn't open either on the way out or back, so ended up going to Starbucks instead.

We ran across a young couple who were 2 weeks into a bike tour from Chicago to Upper Maine. They were well loaded and with the head wind had to work pretty hard. The guy had just graduated college and the gal was DEFINATELY hard core as she was pulling up until the last time we saw them.

We passed Shaker Cycles on the way back and I met Mitch who gave my Cannondale CX a not so nice critique. I didn't talk to him long enough to explain that the bike was full Ultegra before yesterday, since we had to get going.

On the way back we rode behind Steel Yard Commons. Really nice to have a bike path back there, and Jennings road was repaved almost all the way back to Harvard.

I had another Ernesto sighting on the tow path just north of the rail road bridge. By the time I decided to try turning around to catch him and chat for a bit, he was long gone. Or had it been only a dream???

Once back to the parking lot, I debate riding the towpath and checking out the 'scenery', but it's been a long ride and I decide to head home instead. There will be plenty of riding later this week.

Bike work...

It's funny how things just cascade in these situations. I finally got around to measuring the chain on my CX bike. It was definately at the replacement stage with a measurement of 12 1/8th inches. I should have checked it and replaced it sooner, although the cassette and chainrings still look good.

The question at this point became, do I slap another 9sp chain on there? I've been intending to change over to 10sp for my CX bike. This doesn't really help me with compatability with my 10sp road bike, since my CX has disc breaks and 135mm hub spacing. In thinking about it after the fact, I didn't really have a compelling reason to go 10sp. But hey, why not...

And while I'm going 10sp, I also want to swap my handlebar and stem from my road bike to my CX. On friday night I get started. Cambria Bike Outfitters was kind enough to sent me out a spankin new EA70 stem for 49.95 shipped off eBay. I am still extremely bitter with Performance Bike for reneging on the EA90 stem I ordered from them (they refunded my the cost of the stem, but not the tax they charged on it).

I pull the tape and shifters off of my current FSA bar, pull the stem off the fork and slap the set on the scale; 320g. I mount the EA70 stem to the EC90 Equipe carbon bar and weigh it; 240g. I'm hoping the stiffness will be OK. The bar and stem aren't OS, hence the weight savings. The Easton parts go on the road bike and the tape goes back on OK. I torque everything to spec and it feels really solid.

On Sat at about 4pm I decide it's time to work on the CX bike, as I need to have it rideable by 7:30-8pm for the Century Cycles night ride. Rear derailuer comes off since it looks pretty ragged and in need of some cleaning and lube. Rear shift and break cables look reusable. Tape, shifters, bar, and stem come off.

I'd like to remove the bar top brakes at some point, but they'll stay on for now so I can reuse the cables. Bar and stem from road bike go on, and the reach is really good. I had been feeling pretty cramped on the 40cm bar and stem that was about 1/2 the length of the 120mm that I've moved to. I decide to use the old 105 shifter from my road bike and save the new Ultegra shifter for a Frankenbike project (more to come). The 105 RD, 105 25-12 cassette, and hardly worn Shimano 10sp chain from my road bike find their places on the CX.

I get everything back together and adjusted OK and realize that my roll of bar tape is over at Rick's. Oh well, that's what gloves are for... I head out to the night ride and like the last one realize I won't make it to Lock 29 in time.

This time I drive to an park at the Canal Visitor's Center instead of at Rockside. I run into and chat with a friend from work briefly and then am on my way. I figure if the ride is going north, I'll run into them really soon. If their going south, I've got some major catch up to do...

Turns out that they went south and I finally caught everyone at the Botzum Station, where they had stopped. After about 5 minutes about 10 of us proceeded to ride further south to Portage trail. We turned around to head back firing up our lights. A brief detour down Ira and to past Hale farm(?) and then back to the towpath.

Back at Peninsula, Brett, Cheryl, a guy from the RR Century store and I grab a bite at the Lizard. Afterward we part ways and I ride back to my car; getting there at 12am sharp and 58mi round trip.

9am start time for a Team Mellen MS150 training ride and more biking fun.