Posts
Date Distance Course type Weather conditions Bike ridden Time
03/7/08 10 miles Salt Ayre Track 14C 9mph wind Focus Cayo 27'12s
28/5/08 17 miles Circuit of Coniston Wet / no wind / 12C Focus Cayo 51'20s
Salt Ayre Cycle Track 03 July 2008:
1st time trial on 10 miles. 27'12s. 12.5 laps of the recently renovated Salt
Ayre cycle racing track in Lancaster. I stopped counting laps after 2 of
them. Doh! Not ideal. Fun event with many youngsters from the Go-Ride club
as well as older time trial types.
Next TT: first Thursday of August. I wil be joined by my 7 year-old daughter. She wants to have a go at the 2.5 laps distance. 
Circuit of Coniston 28 May 2008:
First time trial ever!
I rode the Circuit of Coniston after being convinced by my mate Allan to have a go. Coniston is a bout an hour away from home so I took a day off work and we tried to make most of the day. Picnic and a nice walk around Tarn House. Gorgeous. The girls enjoyed their day. (Beware of Tarn Hows midge. Nasty little things.)
Back on topic: This was unfamiliar territory to me. Not much scope to go off track even with my infamous orienteering skills: You keep on going left :-)
I survived the experience and I found it hard. Hard to judge how much effort to put in. Hard to judge what's coming next. Hard to judge whether to let yourself go on downhills if unfamilar with the course and in wet conditions.
I
don't think I got the time trial bug yet but I am glad I tried one and
I would not mind riding one again in the near future. As for improving
on the above time, that will have to wait for one year. The circuit of
Coniston time trials only run twice a year in May.
Happy Canada Day everyone, and special shout out to Murray a fellow Member of the Vancouver Bicycle Club who is featured in a CBC News story Crude Awakenings about how charities are continuing to provide service to there client who coping with high Gas Prices. Murry who is the coolest 60++ year old guy volunteers and delivers Meals on Wheels for Health and Home Care Society of B.C. Once again I see the power of the bicycle make the world a better place.
Yes it a bit of and oversimplification say that persons who chose to come same public event as you do are your friends. It would also a great disservice to say that at least I have something in common with the 2011 other cyclists who took part in yesterdays Critical Mass.
Acknowledging the power of the bicycle it like a core belief of nearly Critical Mass rider.
I have ridden my current bicycle for nearly three years it take me to many places to work, to stores and places of recreation. It also worth to mention my bicycle also take to some hard and scary places collisions with car doors and the sound of my helmet hitting the asphalt as I was falling to the ground.
I am sure if you asked the 2011 people who rode on yesterday Critical Mass if they shared any of the above experiences the would very likely said yes they did. Bicycle represents freedom to the people who ride them often and the act of riding you bicycle itself can become as fairly joyous experience.
Yesterday Mass bought so many fun riders in one place. I know that there were as least 2011 riders because one my friends on the ride counted everyone that went by him as corked and intersection he said he saw 2011 bicycles pass by him. When I stopped for a bit of a break and corked near Denam and Robson it took more then 20 minutes for all the bicycles to pass by my intersection. Critical Mass Vancouver was so colorful yesterday the are bicycles in every shape and color some with matching wheels and seats. There were riders in bright colored Aloha Shirts Girls in wigs, Guys bathing suits it just a moving party on wheels. I'm glad I was able to ride in my third consecutive June Critical Mass Ride yesterday it was great fun
My second year riding in the Festa Foundation's annual charity century got off to an early start when my duty pager blasted me into consciousness shortly after 4AM this morning. I'm the nighttime on-call person for this week and a maintenance needed some assistance to wrap up. I helped out and laid back down, which was a mistake -- the problem was not actually fixed and I lost a precious half-hour of morning time laying there unable to sleep. When I got back up and checked in on things around 5, there were still problems so my egress to Bay Meadows was delayed going out the gate by about half an hour.
Aha! Finally, I am vindicated in an international, almost-widely-read venue:
Carbon Wheels. Carbon wheels are for racing! Never under any circumstances should they be brought out on a training ride. Training wheels should be strong and heavy with lots and lots of spokes. Carbon wheels say to the group, I’m not strong enough to do this ride without my $2,000 feather weight wheels. If you have the money to tear up a carbon wheel set on the road, then you’d be better off spending it on a coach who will get you fit enough to keep up with the group ride on regular training wheels.
I've always been scared to ride any wheel with fewer than 28 spokes. At my weight, you don't want to be 20 miles from your car on a pair of race wheels. Our team does have some guys that will run a $2000 set of wheels, even through the winter... My first reaction sometimes is I wish I was that rich. But I don't.
Go read all about Cycling Style Etiquette at Pez . And look for me with my 20-pound wheels.
ロードレースの 100mile, 100km
平均的にフラットなコースで、
池間島内と東平安名崎からの海岸線が気持ちいいアップダウンコース
Over on Dave Moulton's Bike Blog, have a look at a honest account on why some cyclists shave their legs.
I have to admit that I have started shaving my legs and have been doing so for about three months. I am not sure why I started. It is certainly not to look like a pro, makes easy post race massages (I don't race), be faster and more aerodynamic or to make it easy to clean up wounds in case of a road rash. I haven't got any logical explanation. Do I shave my legs because it is part of the tradition? No idea. I tried it and it felt right. Best of all, my wife likes it. Phew!
I remember my good old friend Nicolas was starting to take part in Criterium races around the South of France. I think he lasted for about two races before succumbing to the razor blades for the perfectly legitimate reason of easier cleaning of wounds and higher risks of falling during a road race than if you are plodding along in the countryside. I have to say I thought it was quite a brave move for a 17-year old high school student.
So what are the stages I have had to go through to end up with shaved legs some 17 years later?
Thinking about it I have gone though Toeclips, good waterproof, Clipless pedals, first lycra shorts, cycling jersey, proper cycling mitts, cycling specific glasses, cycling cap, bibtights, arm/legwarmers, bibshorts, join club, shaved legs trial on the ankles, shaved legs.
This covers a somewhat superficial side of cycling and does not account for the fact that I enjoy cycling more than ever. That's what matters. Shaved legs or unshaved legs.
去年の夏からやろうやろうと思っていたのだが、とうとう本日実行。
ウチからMontlake Freeway Stationまで行き、そこからEast Base(東部営業所)回送バスをひろいちゃりんこをバイクラック積んで橋を渡り、East Baseでおろしてもらい、その先にある520ハイウェイ沿いのバイクトレイルを通って会社までトータル1時間。ちゃりんこ走行距離にして7マイル(約11.2Km)ちょい。
ただバスを降りたあと、トレイル入り口までちょっと車通りの多い道を走るのが億劫で先延ばしにしていたのだが、とりあえず慣れれば大丈夫そう。トレイルも上りが続き平坦ではないけれど、車に追い立てられずに走れるのは気がラクだ。
営業所回送バスは基本的に一般の客は乗せないが、橋を渡りたいちゃりんことちゃりだーは乗せてくれる。朝は営業所に戻るバスが多いので、大抵は数分待ちでバスをつかまえることができる。バイクラックは自転車を2、3台しか搭載できないので、人気のバス路線だとバスが来た時点でバイクラックがいっぱいで自転車を積めないことも度々ある。
他の人がBD-1やBromptonを折り畳んでバスに持ちこんでいるのを時々見かけるが、バスの運転手によってはなぜか乗車拒否、またはかな〜りいやそうな時がある。今日他の人と話をしていたら、その人も折り畳んで自転車を持ち込もうとBike FridayのTikitを購入したのだが、運転手によってはダメ出しするそうだ。なぜなんだ。。。満員バスでもない限り理由が見つからない。ただデカイ荷物を持った乗客と変わらないと思うのだが。
写真をはじめて携帯電話からうっぷしてみた。日本語が打てないのが残念じゃ。そういえばこの間バンクーバーに行った時、"cell phone express unlock service"がチャイナタウンの店先に堂々と張ってあったのを何回か見かけたな。。。
今日は久々にちゃりんこ通勤。帰りはSammamish River Trail とBurke Gilman Trailを通って家まで25マイル(約42Km)くらい。ダンナも他のチャリンコの集まりに行ってそっちで夕食を食べる予定なので、約23マイル地点にある和食レストラン『旬』で天ざるを食べてきた。去年の今頃はSeattleからPortlandを2日で200マイルを走るイベントの準備で必死に走っていたのだが、今年はまったり。今日もロードバイクの派手なもじもじ君タイツ系の人たちにバンバン抜かれてたさ。ふっ。