tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31566033713085272822024-03-05T06:35:04.672-06:00bike destroyerbikes, musings, and my opinions on whatever.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-62323589690349738742011-11-21T15:38:00.010-06:002011-11-21T16:16:08.497-06:00Hello World! ...and Cleveland RidesWhile I'm not in the business of posting <b>nearly</b> as much as I used to, I do feel justified in that I'm riding my bike much, much more, I feel much healthier, and I've been working on starting a family.<div><br /></div><div>Lately I've had numerous people in my cycling circles ask me about the rides in/around Cleveland, and I've referenced some posts and Garmin Connect activities from 2008. Cleveland has a lot of great riding around it if you only know where to go.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've consolidated the links to my posts as well as the Garmin Connect activities below. I didn't ride these in successive order, which is why they're broken up into sections and don't always flow in the same direction. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Posts:</div><div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(158, 82, 5); font: normal normal bold 160%/normal Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -1px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); "></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal bold 160%/normal Verdana, sans-serif; "><a href="http://bikedestroyer.blogspot.com/2008/10/cuyahoga-valley-national-park.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Cuyahoga Valley National Park / Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath</span></a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(158, 82, 5); font: normal normal bold 160%/normal Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -1px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); "><a href="http://bikedestroyer.blogspot.com/2008/08/cleveland-metroparks-rocky-river.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Rocky River Reservation</span></a></h3></div><div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(158, 82, 5); font: normal normal bold 160%/normal Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -1px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); "><a href="http://bikedestroyer.blogspot.com/2008/09/cleveland-lakefront-bikeway-rocky-river.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Rocky River to Downtown</span></a></h3></div><div><br /></div><div>Relaxed/Family Riding:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/4683956"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap; "><span title="Towpath Adventure, Vol 1." style="color: rgb(69, 133, 229); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); ">Ohio & Erie Canal </span></span></span><span title="Towpath Adventure, Vol 1." style="color: rgb(69, 133, 229); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255);">Towpath Adventure, Vol 1.</span></span></a></span></div><div><span title="Towpath Adventure, Vol 2 (Train!)" style="background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/4683974">Ohio & Erie Canal <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); ">Towpath Adventure, Vol 2. (Train!)</span></span></a></span></span></div><div><span title="Towpath Adventure, Vol 3." style="color: rgb(69, 133, 229); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/4683999">Ohio & Erie Canal <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255);">Towpath Adventure, Vol 3.</span></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap;">Cleveland's "Emerald Necklace" </span>(These generally go west to east)</div><div><span title="Cleveland Metroparks Ride - North Chagrin to South Chagrin to Bedford Reservation" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/4005697" class="activityNameLink">Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway - Rocky River to Downtown</a></span></span></div><div><span title="Cleveland Metroparks Ride - North Chagrin to South Chagrin to Bedford Reservation" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span title="Cleveland Metroparks Ride - Rocky River - Bagley to Detroit"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/15533652" class="activityNameLink">Downtown Cleveland to Euclid Creek Reservation</a></span></span></div><div><span title="Cleveland Metroparks Ride - North Chagrin to South Chagrin to Bedford Reservation" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span title="Cleveland Metroparks Ride - Rocky River - Bagley to Detroit"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/16402206" class="activityNameLink">Cleveland Metroparks Ride - Rocky River - Bagley to Detroit</a></span></span></span></div><div><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/8893584" class="activityNameLink" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Cleveland Metroparks Ride - Big Creek Reservation - Valley Parkway to Brookpark Road</span></a></div><div><span title="Cleveland Metroparks Ride - Mill Stream Run - Bagley to Brecksville" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/16532215" class="activityNameLink" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Cleveland Metroparks Ride - Mill Stream Run - Bagley to Brecksville</span></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/9303093" class="activityNameLink" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); ">Cleveland Metroparks Ride - Brecksville Rd to Bedford Reservation</a></span></div><div><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/15256677" class="activityNameLink" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Cleveland Metroparks Ride - Bedford Reservation to North Chagrin</span></a></div><div><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/9303102" class="activityNameLink" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(227, 244, 255); ">Cleveland Metroparks Ride - North Chagrin to South Chagrin to Bedford Reservation</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Happy riding!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-84196671868475162912010-10-08T06:17:00.001-05:002010-10-08T06:18:37.860-05:00A Clean Drivetrain Is ________Someone posted the above question on Facebook, to which my immediate response was "orderly".<br /><br />That word inspired me to adapt <span style="font-style: italic;">The Rifleman's Creed</span> as such:<br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> 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locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p></p><blockquote><p>This is my drive train. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My drive train is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My drive train, without me, is useless. Without my drive train, I am useless. I must shift my drive train true. I must shift more crisply than my enemy who is trying to outsprint me. I must pass him before he passes me. I will...</p> <p>My drive train and myself know that what counts in this war is not the attacks we make, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the podium that counts. We will win...</p> <p>My drive train is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its derailleurs and its cables. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my drive train clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...</p> <p>Before God, I swear this creed. My drive train and myself are the defenders of my team. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is ours and there is no enemy, but peace!</p></blockquote><p></p> <br />Keep fighting the good fight, all.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-66711518859663259022010-06-04T09:16:00.003-05:002010-06-08T12:12:19.851-05:00Standing in the Bike Lane<span class="status-body"><span class="status-content"><span class="entry-content">Dearest teenage girl pedestrian,<br /><br />I'm the guy riding southbound in the Kedzie bike lane, right towards you. You're completely not paying attention, yelling something to someone across the street. Situational awareness? What's that? (psst, they don't sell that at Hollister.)<br /><br />Whoa, I'm closer now since you're standing still, in the bike lane, and I'm still riding. You step forward. Progress, I like it.<br /><br />You step back into the bike lane. Shit - make up your mind.<br /><br />I'm closer now, about 20 feet. You FINALLY look to your left, and you take a step forward, where you freeze like a deer in headlights...that's standing in the middle of the bike lane.<br /><br />Knowing there's someone behind me, I manage to scream "UP UP!" and dive to the right, hoping my friend follows my lead. Unfortunately, he doesn't have time to react.<br /><br />You two collide. I don't see it, but I hear the unmistakable sound. Stop the bike, look back to see a pile of humanity and bike. No good.<br /><br />Everyone's shaken, stirred, and scraped up but no bones are broken. Your dad calls upon deities in various languages, yells at you. Apologizes to us, tells you to apologize to us. You're crying, but manage to get the words out. <br /><br />Accepted, on one condition:</span></span></span><span class="status-body"><span class="status-content"><span class="entry-content"> Next time, DON'T STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO TRAFFIC.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Road users.</span></span></span><br /><span class="status-body"><span class="status-content"><span class="entry-content"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23fb" title="#fb" class="tweet-url hashtag" rel="nofollow"></a></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-30936556003326528042010-01-27T16:44:00.001-06:002010-01-27T16:45:51.060-06:00New Indoor Velodrome in Cleveland!This doesn't happen very often, so I wish the folks in Cleveland the best in executing <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">their</span> vision.<br /><br /><a href="http://velodrome4c.blogspot.com/2010/01/velodrome-plans-announced.html">http://velodrome4c.blogspot.com/2010/01/velodrome-plans-announced.html</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-74941908679997316902009-12-07T09:53:00.003-06:002009-12-08T11:05:40.329-06:00what have I broken/what haven't I broken?I'm excluding consumables (tires, bar tape etc)...<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">What haven't I broken on a bike?</span><br /><br />fork<br />stem<br />handlebars<br />seatpost clamp<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">What have I broken?</span><br /><br />Aluminum Frame (cross frame, yesterday, sad trombone)<br />Carbon Frame<br />Speedplay Pedals<br />ISIS-Splined Bottom Bracket<br />ISIS-Splined Cranks<br />Front Cyclocross Chainring<br />Garmin Mount<br />Shimano R550 Wheels<br />Mavic Open Pro Rim (don't buy wheels at Performance!!)<br />Spokes (numerous)<br />SRAM 9-Speed Chain (2)<br />Shimano 9-speed 105 Chain<br />Shimano 9-speed DA Chain<br />KMC 1/8" Track Chain<br />105 Front Derailleur<br />Ultegra Rear Derailleur (2)<br />Shimano Ultegra Shifters<br />Carbon Seatpost<br />Saddle (Rails)<br /><br /><br />I really don't want to move anything else from the top list to the bottom. Breaking any of those items while riding would be quite... unpleasant.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-65917288650688674992009-12-03T14:06:00.001-06:002009-12-03T14:10:18.519-06:00"the road rage incident heard 'round the cycling world."<p>Like any other thing that is used to cause harm to another person, whether due to ignorance or negligence, a vehicle is a weapon.</p><p><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120457877">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120457877</a></p>I'm definitely a better driver for being a cyclist.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-37698046189233437702009-11-15T06:38:00.002-06:002009-11-15T07:13:19.716-06:00Indian Lakes Cyclocross Race ReportSince South Chicago Wheelmen decided to deviate from the ChiCrossCup formula and host the Indian Lakes race on a Saturday, I was able to sleep in and generally have a lazy Saturday morning - something that hasn't happened in several years. It was great! Pancakes, Awful TV, Newspaper, Coffee. Yes.<br /><br />It was already 62F outside when I packed up the car to head out to Bloomingdale, and once there it was indeed a perfect day. I forgot the camera so no pictures, sorry. After pre-riding the course a couple of times and watching the 3's, Juniors/Women, and 1/2/3's race, I'd decided that heckling was far too much fun to miss the hecklespectacle of the 4b's race and went to registration to up my category to 4a. <br /><br />Right off the bat, I was in a bad spot - 4th row before callups. Ugh. As we scooted forward from the holding pen to the start line, I was able to gain a row, but that wasn't of much comfort. This course didn't have much of a hole shot unfortunately, the first 100m or so were just a straight on sprint into a quick and technical 90 degree right, 180, 90 degree right section, followed by another fast 100m before a barrier and the run-up. With the tape staying wide throughout all of this, the first few minutes of the race were a battle to keep your wheels away from others while staying upright and making sure you weren't behind a bad wheel. <br /><br />I ran the hill the first time because there just wasn't enough space to remount the bike... probably should have run it every lap. After descending and a quick loop around to the back side, there was another barrier and another trip up the hill, albeit the steeper side. The race was a little more strung out at this point so I found my rhythm and settled in. The first sand pit was rideable on the first lap, but I couldn't ride the last meter or so on subsequent laps - I ran the second sand pit every time. On the third(I think) lap, I got to my fateful last meter of the first sand pit, stalled, and attempted to dismount. In my haste, I felt my shoe make contact with something hard - helmet, perhaps? I looked back and saw there had been a guy on my wheel, and I'd just kicked him in the head. After a winded, brief exchange and apology we were off once again.<br /><br />Pacing is difficult for me in Cyclocross because it requires a pretty immense effort for me to just make the bike move, but I was able to make some progress in this race. With 2 laps to go, I backed off just enough to only let 2 people pass me - this let me get some recovery time in for the last lap, where I drilled it as hard as I could. Coming in on the back stretch, there was a fairly long grass/pavement section where I dialed it up to about 30mph and passed 5 or 6 riders. I wasn't entirely sure that my brakes would slow me down in time for the 180 around the tree that followed, but I was able to bleed enough speed to negotiate that turn without problem. <br /><br />In picking those guys up, I finished 48th out of about 70 starters. Not in the points or cash, but respectable enough for me.<br /><br />In all - a great race hosted by the South Chicago Wheelmen. I'm hoping the ChiCrossCup can return here next year, especially since the amenities at this race were the best out of the entire series (Hot Tubs and a Heated Locker Room!).<br /><br />Oh yeah, and I didn't break a thing, despite numerous heckles encouraging me to "destroy that bike!"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-54761411898759276422009-11-13T08:57:00.004-06:002009-11-13T09:00:52.376-06:00Christmas Cards for a Sick KidI'm not normally one to spread stuff like this via my blog, but I think this is a pretty noble cause.<br /><br />"Noah Biorkman is a 5 year old boy, in the last stages of neuroblastoma cancer after a 3-year battle. His family is celebrating Christmas next week and all he wants is Christmas cards. Let's try and see how many we can get to him from all over the world."<br /><br />Mail cards to:<br /> 1141 FOUNTAIN VIEW CIR<br /> SOUTH LYON, MI 48178-1568<br /><br />alternate address:<br />Noah Biorkman<br />c/o Scott Biorkman<br />3480 Petoskey Way<br />Milford, MI 48380<br /><br />Found on <a href="http://www.allhailtheblackmarket.com/2009/11/friday_is_my_day_1.html#more">All Hail the Black Market.</a><br /><br />I like Christmas Cards, they're a fun way to stay connected with all the people that you should be calling and visiting far more often than you possibly can. I'm hoping this little guy can get bags of them - pass this on.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-60700597106337038902009-11-03T05:15:00.004-06:002009-11-11T14:45:44.517-06:00Guilty Road Rager of the Day(with apologies to <a href="http://the-great-humongous.blogspot.com/">The Great Humongous</a>)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclist3-2009nov03,0,761131.story"><img height="296" alt="Christopher Thompson" src="http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-11/50248580.jpg" width="580" border="0" /></a><br />Full Story at:<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclist3-2009nov03,0,761131.story">http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclist3-2009nov03,0,761131.story</a><br />or<br /><a href="http://www.velonews.com/article/99800/dr-thompson-is-found-guilty-of-all-counts-in-la-road-rage">http://www.velonews.com/article/99800/dr-thompson-is-found-guilty-of-all-counts-in-la-road-rage</a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Christopher Thompson, 60, is convicted of [</span><span style="font-size:100%;">6 Felonies, 1 Misdemeanor, including] </span><span style="font-size:100%;">mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon and other charges in the crash that injured cyclists Ron Peterson and Christian Stoehr on Mandeville Canyon Road in 2008.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-59064933238003959822009-11-01T21:39:00.006-06:002009-11-11T14:45:55.410-06:00Rear Derailleur Carnage<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Fitting that this bit of horrific news comes right around Halloween. After successfully completing the St Charles 4b's race today, I was riding back over to the area where most of the other xXx'ers were... when I hear a pop, feel the tension on the cranks drop away, and my rear wheel jams. I look down.. to see this.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOa8N4zApHzp2ApP37PfP_-gHx8jOeqZdw0cH9jt9mQhhGCJkURWN8lxIq1eGRJyyegLc5-4Pe_HOFjYdWVwq0M65uEj2yGOJl0Jz3CxIcntaWcOBY7EtgIVB2V5_aAagZ0QzrsyzcZUH/s1600-h/Copy+of+DSC00808.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399351208768536546" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOa8N4zApHzp2ApP37PfP_-gHx8jOeqZdw0cH9jt9mQhhGCJkURWN8lxIq1eGRJyyegLc5-4Pe_HOFjYdWVwq0M65uEj2yGOJl0Jz3CxIcntaWcOBY7EtgIVB2V5_aAagZ0QzrsyzcZUH/s320/Copy+of+DSC00808.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">I think to myself, shit! Another drivetrain failure at this race! <a href="http://bikedestroyer.blogspot.com/2008/11/compton-destructocross.html">Last year, I tore the bead on a tire and had to run half a lap, then finally popped a chain for a DNF.</a> I initially thought that one of the pulleys in the derailleur had failed, bending the derailleur hangar and destroying the chain and derailleur... but upon further inspection:<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiC6jAGhTV01tbf0fGsqXdGmYyijnzgJonHTDZtS9q5k7P-e8rvH5CijOpPP-QKwig6D-wVxQ62H3bSDmHrGBCt0efPHtfQZ3qqzmRIV-vsDyO4n1sAzq3368vbuKvDYbEUNAzDmL7KNs/s1600-h/Copy+of+DSC00806.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399351199554910066" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiC6jAGhTV01tbf0fGsqXdGmYyijnzgJonHTDZtS9q5k7P-e8rvH5CijOpPP-QKwig6D-wVxQ62H3bSDmHrGBCt0efPHtfQZ3qqzmRIV-vsDyO4n1sAzq3368vbuKvDYbEUNAzDmL7KNs/s320/Copy+of+DSC00806.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">waaait a minute. the hangar still looks straight?<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF-D-P1COQAbS6qOpDrKZJbnGhhx4VIVmW13JBqmyg3esw-z46nm4MjP_xtoNzei3g4gFhb66ji9yMfvAZ8fD3XP38eXaQ3XLv6xy69PP4dw3AyixuqAfoie-S0pJdu0rBm7HS7QLZ21a/s1600-h/Copy+of+DSC00812.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399351219945477138" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF-D-P1COQAbS6qOpDrKZJbnGhhx4VIVmW13JBqmyg3esw-z46nm4MjP_xtoNzei3g4gFhb66ji9yMfvAZ8fD3XP38eXaQ3XLv6xy69PP4dw3AyixuqAfoie-S0pJdu0rBm7HS7QLZ21a/s320/Copy+of+DSC00812.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDg43xM-0Bw-sV20F7nsZdDUcaTOwK0dYZzBunN_9WYNul684i3H8LocPMw7ucFHR4u6kKemHLFQ4YuPmfl25w3o9FCT94CWJkJroMjdpXypTafrYZPAX2FlK53PFKOHYmq-7IsxmN-D8j/s1600-h/Copy+of+DSC00811.JPG"> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399351215766156610" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDg43xM-0Bw-sV20F7nsZdDUcaTOwK0dYZzBunN_9WYNul684i3H8LocPMw7ucFHR4u6kKemHLFQ4YuPmfl25w3o9FCT94CWJkJroMjdpXypTafrYZPAX2FlK53PFKOHYmq-7IsxmN-D8j/s320/Copy+of+DSC00811.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />yeah, that's right. the derailleur itself broke. hell if I know how that happened.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Apparently Shimano has a 2 year warranty on all components (aside from Dura-Ace, 3 years). Here's hoping their warranty process isn't overly cumbersome and/or time consuming.<br /></div><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-52051182106285371432009-10-29T10:05:00.004-05:002009-11-11T14:44:36.668-06:00Thursday Hate (apologies to The Car Whisperer)I'm co-opting thursday hate from <a href="http://thecarwhisperer.blogspot.com/">The Car Whisperer</a> because there's just so much to hate.<br /><br />Before that, a word from my sponsor: <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=15002078445375819375&q=starbucks&hl=en&cd=1&cad=src:pplink&ei=DK3pSvLYFo_SNPbo_fEP&sig2=ezFsEzSVhf0QhnXBJd26Rw">Starbucks Coffee, 5406 W Devon.</a><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Wanted: Barista With a Sense of Humor</span><br /><br />Are you a morning person? Are you a morning person only after you've had a bunch of coffee? In either case, you'll do well here because we're open at the buttcrack of dawn and you can have as much coffee as you want. The pay probably sucks considering you're mostly dealing with assholes who want gas-station cappuccino flavor from our carefully roasted espresso beans, but there's a good chance you can get health insurance after you work here for a while. At no time are you allowed to be surly with these assholes. They're the lifeblood of our business and the money that goes into your pocket will be coming straight from theirs. If someone cracks a joke (especially a not funny joke), suck it up and stroke the customer's ego a little about them being "a funny person". You can make fun of them later if there's down time. </blockquote><br />Ok, now that the hate disguised as fake advertisements is done... THE LIST.<br /><br />- You rode your bike to work?<br />- Dog Snuggies (that's why they come with a built in FUR COAT, fuckface.)<br />- "Get on the Sidewalk" from a single occupant in a whale of an SUV.<br />- "You're blocking traffic" from a non-practicing member of the Illinois bar who is a single occupant in a whale of an SUV<br />- Single occupants in whale-esque SUV's<br />- Nosing into parallel parking spots when I have 200 lumens of blink on my handlebars<br />- Mozzarella and Marinara Pringles. So much wrong about shaped, flavored, dried potato slurry.<br />- 70% Chance of Rain and 43 degrees FarenheitAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-50875930607939441242009-10-28T11:48:00.005-05:002009-11-11T14:44:09.483-06:00Hump Day Cyclocross Hump AwesomenessThis photo sums up how totally awesome Cyclocross is.<br /><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seemann/4048327531/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/4048327531_e5af69fa1c_m.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px;font-size:10;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seemann/4048327531/">Bartlett CX 4B's</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/seemann/">Luke</a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-3858478594203531302009-10-26T14:46:00.008-05:002009-11-11T14:45:27.622-06:00Bartlett Chicrosscup<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0lnqlXFf1MaVHPNtGHidJAntti9sOEnAYFLLtPAgF8OhJ9OAEhYwyNtbbA7bv4-MXvdBcZcTHfT0WIU9pJwEhTWHsIOXDQLWcdcPEz0WQiFG9mgaZF0wBiD5OCNZlE0S0YkDMJ8gqkwW/s1600-h/bartlett_angry.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396997693198510082" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0lnqlXFf1MaVHPNtGHidJAntti9sOEnAYFLLtPAgF8OhJ9OAEhYwyNtbbA7bv4-MXvdBcZcTHfT0WIU9pJwEhTWHsIOXDQLWcdcPEz0WQiFG9mgaZF0wBiD5OCNZlE0S0YkDMJ8gqkwW/s320/bartlett_angry.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="left">Why do I look pissed, angry at the world? Not because I've managed to isolate the source of my lower back pains and have resolved it, not because I just got passed... because I totally screwed up the sprint for the hole shot by not clipping in quick enough and not being as aggressive as I should be.</p><p align="left">As seems to be the case, I was slowly and steadily picked up and dropped by several riders through the three laps in my 4b's race, which wouldn't have bothered me if I hadn't been 20th+ at the first corner. I almost puked three different times, and every time I looked down at my Garmin, it further confirmed that I was "doing it right", with an average 183bpm on the course.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKQpiJZl5HP-bKKkQDB0CgYOSlqz6UQhm2iPYO3jEPY8THE-uqnE72-_XffoyzIajmfTSl5uF1Gvqtn1Bbg5-sigQ3u92p7ah96SPDV-ksSnREsa5btUDSd4xhwrNUbIrw_qevyo3tDcK/s1600-h/bartlett_scary_drafters.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396997683694258002" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKQpiJZl5HP-bKKkQDB0CgYOSlqz6UQhm2iPYO3jEPY8THE-uqnE72-_XffoyzIajmfTSl5uF1Gvqtn1Bbg5-sigQ3u92p7ah96SPDV-ksSnREsa5btUDSd4xhwrNUbIrw_qevyo3tDcK/s320/bartlett_scary_drafters.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvNpL5ZUMyXjBUqGBY3d9IBstPSF0O2yK2IDL9RhryAMJTRs8PLrsoHq6kYrfHkbZl5-NdGW7pOTbq15qnOFwXMsbaOg5f74cosdxFUst9drLvJw35R3tG9jbilxRHrstfk7Hb1enfHiO/s1600-h/bartlett_scary_bw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396997687196895570" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvNpL5ZUMyXjBUqGBY3d9IBstPSF0O2yK2IDL9RhryAMJTRs8PLrsoHq6kYrfHkbZl5-NdGW7pOTbq15qnOFwXMsbaOg5f74cosdxFUst9drLvJw35R3tG9jbilxRHrstfk7Hb1enfHiO/s320/bartlett_scary_bw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I finished in the top half, 37th our of 73 starters. 7 places away from points that would have helped the team's overall standings, but it was still a fun race. I've found my ability to corner at speed while staying off the brakes, and seem to have figured out what kind of tire pressure I can run in order to keep the tire on the rim. Those two combined to give me some pretty good efficiency through the technical sections - I was making ground on people and felt really good about the race. The "heckle hill" run-up was a different story - A knobbier rear would have helped as I was spinning out 3/4 of the way up the hill pretty much every time. I'll definitely be throwing my other set of tires in the trunk just in case the St. Charles race is similarly muddy.<br /><br /><br />Looking at me next to the other guys out there, it's safe to say that I'm the biggest guy in the race. Sure, I've got surplus kilos on me, but don't we all this time of year? Right after I finished and was dry heaving, a Bicycle Heaven rider dismounted and laid in the grass next to his buddies. As he's laying there, panting...<br /><br />Rider: "Man, I couldn't catch that big xXx dude..."<br />Buddy: "Which one?"<br />Rider: "The fat fucker, on the Yellow Trek, man - I just couldn't get him!"<br />Me: "Uh, are you talking about me?"<br />Buddy: "Dude, he's <strong>right over there.</strong>"<br />Rider (Rolls over to see me standing 15 feet away): "Oh yeah - dude, I couldn't catch you! Good riding"<br /><br />I can only imagine where that conversation would have gone without my interjection. All I have to say about the situation is that if I had the body mass of that guy, there's a lot more people who wouldn't have been able to catch "the big xXx dude...on the yellow trek". </p><p>In other news, I didn't break anything!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-89344370495608058272009-10-20T14:25:00.002-05:002009-10-20T14:40:01.448-05:00stop not stopping? stop!If you didn't already know, Idaho recently amended its' traffic code to allow cyclists to <strong>legally </strong>roll stop signs when the way is clear of vehicles and pedestrians.<br /><br />Here's a video summary:<br /><br /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=" server="vimeo.com&show_title=" show_byline="1&show_portrait=" color="&fullscreen=" width="400" height="230" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/4140910">Bicycles, Rolling Stops, and the Idaho Stop</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1572838">Spencer Boomhower</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><p>Slate published an <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2232555/pagenum/all/#p2">article</a> about the concept last week, and the <a href="http://www.activetrans.org/">Active Transportation Alliance </a>here in Chicago has posed the question, <a href="http://www.activetrans.org/blog/awelty/are-you-vehicular-cyclist-or-facilitator">"Are you a vehicular cyclist or a facilitator?"</a> </p><p>I see myself in the grey area between being a vehicular cyclist and a facilitator, how about you? When drivers yell at me for rolling a stop sign, I wish there was a way to say "seriously, have you ever rolled a stop sign in that car EVER?!" in two or three yellable syllables. Bike lanes are great, though I see drivers give no respect to them on a regular basis. Bike paths like Chicago's Lakefront Path can be good, but they're no place for bikes traveling at 17-20mph, not to mention that path intersections like those around Montrose point are the scene of many a collision between cars and path users.</p><p>Last, here's a <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1533248/Is-this-the-end-of-the-road-for-traffic-lights.html#">great article</a> about a dutch town that took a hard look at the way people moved around town and actually did something about increasing everyone's safety... notice there's no mention of "safety-enhancing" red light cameras (and red lights!)</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-31706951279853146012009-09-24T09:51:00.002-05:002009-11-11T14:44:46.098-06:00Cyclocross = AwesomeExcellent Article from Luke in Today's Chicago Tribune...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/events/chi-0924-cyclocrosssep24,0,2801142.story">http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/events/chi-0924-cyclocrosssep24,0,2801142.story</a><br /><br />Go buy a paper. When you're done reading it, use it inside your jersey instead of a namby-pamby wind vest.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-51467069970450586252009-09-05T07:55:00.000-05:002009-09-05T07:55:19.961-05:00The Car Whisperer: AR FridayI couldn't have said it better myself...<br /><br /><a href="http://thecarwhisperer.blogspot.com/2009/09/ar-friday.html">The Car Whisperer: AR Friday</a><br /><br />Seriously, though... two 8 point bucks within a mile or two of each other in this <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=42.015759,-87.790289&spn=0.035264,0.089607&t=h&z=14&msid=101608752350281017506.000472d419907c46b6727">tiny little stretch of forest preserve</a>?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-64164023725231419752009-09-04T09:33:00.004-05:002009-09-04T12:17:00.872-05:00Track PowertapI've heard rumors that the WheelBuilder.com crew had been working on a track powertap conversion for quite a while, but this is the first I've seen of it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.wheelbuilder.com/store/images/D/tr_pt_hub_sl_bolt_on_off_detail.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 750px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 275px" alt="" src="http://www.wheelbuilder.com/store/images/D/tr_pt_hub_sl_bolt_on_off_detail.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.wheelbuilder.com/store/images/D/tr_pt_close_elite_cog_750.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 750px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 269px" alt="" src="http://www.wheelbuilder.com/store/images/D/tr_pt_close_elite_cog_750.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />drool.<br /><br />I want one. Laced into a <a href="http://www.hedcycling.com/wheels/stinger9.asp">Stinger 90.</a> Haut.<br /><br />More Info: <a href="http://www.wheelbuilder.com/store/wheelbuilder-track-powertap.html">http://www.wheelbuilder.com/store/wheelbuilder-track-powertap.html </a><br /><br />I'd better water my money tree, it's looking a little sickly.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-11174369882487381292009-08-24T10:12:00.002-05:002009-08-24T10:19:25.145-05:00The Small StuffI get "Tips of the Day" in my work email. Here's today's:<br /><blockquote><p>*** Today's Tip: DO SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!<br />Sweating the small stuff may not be good advice when dealing with daily stresses, but experts say it may be the most effective approach when it comes to weight control. Try setting small, specific goals such as substituting every other soda with a glass of water or committing to a one-mile walk three times per week after dinner. Procrastination also gets in the way of forming healthier habits, so start today! For more useful tips, go to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.smallstep.gov">http://www.blogger.com/www.smallstep.gov</a>.<br /></p></blockquote><br />While I agree with a lot of these weight management tips, maybe I'm just too harsh on myself when it comes to these sorts of things... small, specific goals sure are easier to attain, but is cutting soda out of your diet <strong>really </strong>that big of a deal? There's no time commitment, no equipment to buy, and there are immediate (relatively) benefits that you can see and feel that are immediately connected to stopping drinking carbonated acid-water. <br /><br />I don't even want to get started on the whole "I'll start my diet next week" crap.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-64584325501042194862009-08-19T14:20:00.004-05:002009-08-19T14:31:30.151-05:00an open letter to Blockbuster's marketing teamI got this in my email today... I was a Blockbuster Online customer a few years ago, when they first started the service. I figured I'd try it out and see how it compared. (That story ends with me still being a happy Netflix customer some years later)<br /><br />One of the things I did like about Blockbuster was that you could return/exchange DVD's in the store - a significant advantage over Netflix since there aren't any Netflix stores. In the offer (below) they state plainly that they're still doing this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSUf0KLkTvytmntuwTQJodIAsgljBZuvq4g4iW-6fCNKj8OC_UAwYuDJ54RAM5eQhyXtijrnvWLaurx1lWeTviiqoFw-9up1N9spvH07OwcwofJlazvL6xm6qbXiCPSZsLYLlz-8Anndu/s1600-h/offer.JPG"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSUf0KLkTvytmntuwTQJodIAsgljBZuvq4g4iW-6fCNKj8OC_UAwYuDJ54RAM5eQhyXtijrnvWLaurx1lWeTviiqoFw-9up1N9spvH07OwcwofJlazvL6xm6qbXiCPSZsLYLlz-8Anndu/s320/offer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371757135586891138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As a direct marketer with an appreciation for the medium, I figured I'd click through the offer and see what they had for me. I was mostly curious about where the closest Blockbuster was, since I've not had to find one for quite some time. Here's what the store locator shows for my ZIP Code:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEJd_zgbXT4FYeFniZjBy8n4vE25a97qxjijlLq_snvNWT_1IavFCHBpOnK-AIW0ftBs_HxB0XqjzugJ3JJzVt4euqI0-AVhanMNRzJMkYbGY-kpMjzIUj3S3exE-JayhyyDBc85J0jIM/s1600-h/after.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEJd_zgbXT4FYeFniZjBy8n4vE25a97qxjijlLq_snvNWT_1IavFCHBpOnK-AIW0ftBs_HxB0XqjzugJ3JJzVt4euqI0-AVhanMNRzJMkYbGY-kpMjzIUj3S3exE-JayhyyDBc85J0jIM/s320/after.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371757163448810466" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In looking at the map, I thought that there were quite a few more stores close to me, though I'd noticed that a couple of them had closed lately. I figured I'd search "blockbuster" in Google Maps to see what I could come up with.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iqBoiF2A5nf4uscBxSe25mbFfO-ZnifFHwjGQw7WVM1cNhyphenhyphenogqi5K-rLy4U8dZEg0WfanVwNnNaW1s2JNCV75icilsGmeDaBsgBP9ob8ZFtYQTSgVjWXwXFXW5w7HXuCrAkkkGIPSTej/s1600-h/before.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iqBoiF2A5nf4uscBxSe25mbFfO-ZnifFHwjGQw7WVM1cNhyphenhyphenogqi5K-rLy4U8dZEg0WfanVwNnNaW1s2JNCV75icilsGmeDaBsgBP9ob8ZFtYQTSgVjWXwXFXW5w7HXuCrAkkkGIPSTej/s320/before.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371757146987906002" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sure enough, there's a bunch of stores that apparently aren't there any more. I recall that there were also stores in several locations (School & Lincoln, Irving & Lincoln) that don't show up on either map.<br /><br />So, Blockbuster - here's my question to you. What are you trying to accomplish by marketing an overall inferior product (Blockbuster's suggestion engine is AWFUL!) in an area where you've recently closed a BUNCH of stores when your only competitive advantage relies on the physical presence that you just diminished?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-39684828471235273042009-08-18T23:33:00.004-05:002009-08-19T14:42:43.496-05:00Cedar PointMy first visit to America's Roller Coast... holy shit I forgot how much I love Roller Coasters!<br /><br />I went for a ride from our hotel in the morning, what a beautiful morning to ride. Close to the end, I was confronted by the Cedar Point Police (park security)... the guy was yelling something out the window, I kept pedaling and yelling "what!?" at him (I now assume he was telling me to pull over), then asked if he was pulling me over. At that point, he hit the brakes, flipped on the lights and hit the siren. I found a spot to pull over on the side, then he told me that I wasn't supposed to be riding on the causeway. I legitimately hadn't seen the signs, told him this, then he told me he'd "have to escort me the rest of the way" off the causeway. I was on my way back to the hotel so I dialed it up to about 31mph (in a 30mph speed zone, hehe) into a seriously nasty headwind, spiked my heart rate, and got the hell out of there. I know the guy was doing his job, but at 7am who's LEAVING a theme park? Just coaster-loving cyclists.<br /><br />Tracy was a good sport about trying out a few of the rides, but after a harrowing front-car trip on Magnum XL-200 she decided that her Coaster days were behind her. I'm glad she was willing to wait the lines with me, even if she'd take the chicken exit once we got to the platform.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPtfO8WhzVuIHn4IHsUranm39Wrhs8wQITJNGPkDUmFTfypl_weqFHnADA9z3WPg2Oo0hiOLTBKrzM0SsgDHF2LMC0jZToDUILK0oE26_q-sIItEx0x7-n8IxcoHmDm6AXkL87ukHkCtO/s1600-h/cp_2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPtfO8WhzVuIHn4IHsUranm39Wrhs8wQITJNGPkDUmFTfypl_weqFHnADA9z3WPg2Oo0hiOLTBKrzM0SsgDHF2LMC0jZToDUILK0oE26_q-sIItEx0x7-n8IxcoHmDm6AXkL87ukHkCtO/s320/cp_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371760952724867458" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5XgUJ5AYZFDVO4eVPnqimEaUUN05vpXWnxfv5-qOhT35g8DEJIJFZK79HYwkdMxsoAasFXiCQf93CkH5E51mjdnzffKVTLi3H2idB0TioDtYl2Mxzw-lOPUSFc_Pg1zrJTAFZmhfXAZW/s1600-h/cp_1.jpg"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5XgUJ5AYZFDVO4eVPnqimEaUUN05vpXWnxfv5-qOhT35g8DEJIJFZK79HYwkdMxsoAasFXiCQf93CkH5E51mjdnzffKVTLi3H2idB0TioDtYl2Mxzw-lOPUSFc_Pg1zrJTAFZmhfXAZW/s320/cp_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371760947487213890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I took some video of the "Top Thrill Dragster"ride in operation that I'll post in an update later... holy hell it looked like it would be quite a ride, too bad it broke down when I was 5 minutes away from getting on.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-68414166458038902732009-07-22T09:19:00.003-05:002009-11-11T14:44:58.037-06:00I'm not the only one!D'oh!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races09/elekt09/elekt09st03-ouch.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 600px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 699px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races09/elekt09/elekt09st03-ouch.jpg" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-37505860824080872142009-07-09T08:45:00.004-05:002009-07-09T08:54:45.303-05:00Found: WrenchIt's been a while since I posted one of these...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIcNNM3EL9g_0eZGukKQxBCfE5veEfDKGv6DBmuT3tkaxBevr2Ju8ME0N8Ie9bgnF_qDr3HTjRxxz6OX5RaCRV9tIIckxwswPK_XXWZOTsYkLMyuhyphenhyphene6N3f7SfA2IviJgrBNXIp414ZCi/s1600-h/IMAGE_094.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356457059105953730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIcNNM3EL9g_0eZGukKQxBCfE5veEfDKGv6DBmuT3tkaxBevr2Ju8ME0N8Ie9bgnF_qDr3HTjRxxz6OX5RaCRV9tIIckxwswPK_XXWZOTsYkLMyuhyphenhyphene6N3f7SfA2IviJgrBNXIp414ZCi/s320/IMAGE_094.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>I'm now the proud owner of a 10mm wrench. Handily timed since my cantilever brakes need adjusting.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-32138998157916030802009-06-26T10:56:00.002-05:002009-06-26T10:58:07.284-05:00Happy Friday!Between Critical Mass and Taste of Chicago tonight, traffic's going to be a total clusterfuck. If only there was a place you could ride to and share a delicious hot dog with friends...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.superdawg.com/images/findus/find_us.gif"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 610px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.superdawg.com/images/findus/find_us.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>Oh wait, there is.</div><div> </div><div>See you at 5:30.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-44487073607926531292009-06-24T11:00:00.002-05:002009-06-24T11:02:01.228-05:00The Car Whisperer has been PEZ'd.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/babes/babes09/soldier09-01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 800px; height: 681px;" src="http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/babes/babes09/soldier09-01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Congrats to <a href="http://thecarwhisperer.blogspot.com">The Car Whisperer.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156603371308527282.post-66469026015242284302009-06-18T12:56:00.002-05:002009-11-11T14:46:12.827-06:00Soldier Field CyclingSoldier Field Cycling #1<br /><br /><iframe title="MotionBased Activity Viewport" src="http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/accept.mb?senderPk.pkValue=31643&unitSystemPkValue=2&episodePk.pkValue=8469913&backgroundDatasourcePk.pkValue=11&view=portlet" frameborder="0" width="530" scrolling="no" height="300"> </iframe><br /><br />I had no idea what to expect when I arrived at the south parking lot last night. The <a href="http://www.soldierfieldcycling.com/">http://www.soldierfieldcycling.com/</a> site was well put together and showed a lot of promise, but designing a website is quite different from designing a race course and playing host to a bunch of twitchy roadies with calories to burn.<br /><br />When we rolled up, I was impressed by the inflatable start/finish archway courtesy of SRAM as well as the Kozy's Cyclery and Pepsi Max presence. There was a good amount of signage around the start/finish that indicated financial support from other businesses such as Chipotle. For a group who hadn't promoted and hosted a bicycle race before, they seemed to be way ahead of what some well-established teams manage to coordinate.<br /><br />The registration table was a breeze since I had pre-registered, though the USAC waivers weren't already filled out with my information. (Race Organizers take note - you can make your lives and ours easier if you pre-fill the waivers for preregistered riders!) I whipped out one of my handy pre-filled forms, added the race name and date, signed and recieved my number. With the Women's race down to 5 laps to go, I pinned up and noticed that there sure seemed to be a lot of people warming up - it was later confirmed that the 4/5 race had indeed sold out via pre-registration.<br /><br />Soldier Field Cycling's course was well marked with cones, barricades, and fencing - and the appropriate medium was in the appropriate place- rather than barriers in tight corners, cones or snow fencing was used to minimize injuries in the event of a crash. Well thought out, Soldier Field Cycling. Recognizing that race organizers can only go so far in preparing a course, I can't complain about the parking lot's surface too much... except for <b>the huge hole</b> in between two of the hairiest turns on the course. I'm convinced this hole is what kept the race so strung out. Between turns 3 & 4 was a 5 foot long, two foot wide gash in the pavement that was filled with water. I'm hoping that Chicago Park District is able to get out and patch this thing before the next race on July 1st.<br /><br />Racing went well. Being a brand new course and a 4/5 race at the same time, the first two laps seemed rather tenative as people seemed to be sizing up the competition. I started out about 10th wheel and quickly decided that I wanted to use this race as an opportunity to work on things I struggle with and to try something I've never done before... I started with the latter and decided to take a flyer.<br /><br />With a strong xXx presence doing quite a lot of work at the front, I moved from about 20th wheel to the front at which point I realized that I was going about 5mph faster than my teammates and I'd have to hit the brakes to settle in with them. Rather than letting friction undo my hard work, I shifted, stood, and rocketed off the front to see what would happen. Having watched many, many of these unsuccessful efforts in the past, I expected to be chased down rather quickly. To my surprise, I managed to stay off for an entire lap while a chase effort was put together by the field, no thanks to my blocking teammates I'm sure. I managed to get about 1/3 of a lap on the field at one point, but after passing the time clock with 18 minutes to go, I knew I couldn't time trial my way to victory and soft pedaled until I was caught.<br /><br />The remainder of the race I shifted from hanging off the back to mid-pack and with single digit laps to go I seemed to find myself on the wheel of the next guy being dropped... I'd realize what was happening and have to sprint to make up not only the rubberband but also make up the gap that had formed between the pack and the dropped rider. Each time I managed to catch the pack, but I also towed a fair number of riders back up with me, who showed their gratitude by accelerating around me as soon as we caught back on.<br /><br />I had a blast at the inaugural Soldier Field Cycling race last night and I'm very much looking forward to the remainder of the series. It was sketchy at times, but no more so than most 75-rider 4/5 criteriums.<br /><br />Many thanks to the folks at Soldier Field Cycling and all of the sponsors who helped make it happen. Here's to a Chipotle burrito prime next time!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460873096344560764noreply@blogger.com0