Enduring

in

The number of bike-related posts will probably be drying up here as I've started shifting all my fitlog-style posts to a fantastic site that my friend Joshua has been cooking up called "We Endure":http://weendure.com. At its core it's a community-based endurance training logging application, but it's got all the pre-requisite Web 2.0 features like tagging and a spanky AJAX interface. It's closed beta at the moment, but should be open and then I advise everyone to get an account there before it gets bought up by Yahoo! and becomes less cool. You will notice a list of my most recent activities on the sidebar, so that's where my fitness info will be going. You can also check out my page "here":http://www.weendure.com/user/mattcomroe. If you like the site and can't wait for it to open for public beta, shoot me an email and I'll get you an invite.

Training starts today

in

In a month and a half I'm going with Jobie to do the "Whiskey Off-Road":http://www.epicrides.com/wor/wor.htm ride, which is an endurance ride starting up in Prescott, which is about 200 miles north of here, past Phoenix. I think it's out of the valley and up at high enough of an altitude (about 5500 feet according to "gmap pedometer":http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/) that it won't be a brutally hot as Tucson or Phoenix would be. I'm doing the 50 mile course because I'm insane like that. The longest one-day ride I've done so far was the 80-mile day one of "the MS150 ride":http://feralboy.com/log/archives/001118/. And that was on pavement. And on a road bike. With gears. I'm trying to mentally calculate just how many bottle cages I can fit on one bike to supplement my Camelback. Today Jobie is busting out his single-speed road bike, and we're going to do a climb up Mt. Lemmon. The plan is to ride at least twice a week until the ride, and I'm hoping I don't turn into a complete jellied mess today given how much time I've had off from hard exercise.

If I don't pick up a bike between now and then I'll be using Jobie's Rig again, but with the swap meet coming up this weekend I'm hoping to be able to find something.

Something new

in

Saturday morning I met up with Jobie, one of the dealers at the local casino for a bike ride. We went over by Tucson Mountain Park (near the Desert Museum), and he had a mountain bike for me to use, since I didn't own one. Both of his bikes are pretty sweet; one was a "Gary Fisher Rig":http://www.fisherbikes.com/bikes/large_image.asp?series=trail-genesis&bike=Rig, and the other a Surly Karate Monkey that he built. Both were set up as single-speeds, which of course was way cool. I got the Fisher, because it was geared a little easier. Both bikes were "29ers":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/29%22er, which basically is like riding a bicycle version of Bigfoot. We went out on about an 18 mile loop around the park. It was easier than some of the rides that Jobie usually goes on (he's pretty accomplished), but there was still some pretty technical sections. At first I was just trying to stay alive; whipping around tight turns inches away from _very_ scary looking cactii or plummeting down into rocky washes isn't something I'm used to with road biking. After a little while I started to get the hang of it, and started to think that I wasn't going to die, and then it started to get really fun. The huge tires on the bikes just swallow up rocks and other irregularities, but the steel frame still let you know where you were and what you were doing.

About halfway through it started to actually feel like exercise, but I didn't mind. Riding through the desert scrub, cresting turns around giant saguaro; it was beautiful scenery for the ride.

Along the way we met a few other mountain bikers, and they were all really nice. They all wanted to talk gear and trails; you know, shop talk. Jobie has some other really good trails in mind for us to go on around town, so it looks like I'll have to start budgeting for a bike. Apparently there's a swap meet next weekend, so I'll have to have him keep his eye out, because I'll be out in L.A. Damn you mountain biking, why did you have to be so fun? I thought I already had enoug hobbies!!!

Useless Ride Stats for 2/4/06

in

Beautiful day today, and near-record temps in the low 80s. Headed down to U of A the usual way, but then detoured on the way back up to the considerably hillier and twistier River Rd. Unfortunately, the first few miles were very much under construction, so there was either a very sandy shoulder or no shoulder at all. I don't think the elevation gauge for "my route":http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=8989 does justice to just how much of a roller coaster parts of River are. 27.0 miles 27.2 mph max speed 15.1 mph avg speed 1:47 ride time

Useless Ride Stats for 1/29

in

Another run up Mt. Lemmon today. Gorgeous day with beautiful temps. I brought my camera along and "took some pictures":http://www.flickr.com/photos/feralboy/sets/72057594056342448/ of "my route":http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2067. 27.49 miles 28.5 mph max speed 13.7 mph avg speed 1:59 ride time

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; } .flickr-yourcomment { } .flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

Useless Ride Stats for 1/17

in

No riding the last few days because I was in "San Diego":http://www.flickr.com/photos/feralboy/tags/sandiego/ with my mom. My occasional riding partner Darcey had texted me to find out if I wanted to ride Sunday a.m., and I was pretty bummed that I wasn't able to. Today the weather cooperated and I took a break from work to go out on the same loop as last time. 16.38 miles 30.7 mph max speed 14.9 mph avg speed (less than last time! boo hiss!) 1:06 ride time

Useless Ride Stats for 1/11

in

_(With a nod to "fixedgear":http://fixedgearcycling.blogspot.com/ for the formatting)_ Finally ordered a cyclocomputer for the fixie to start keeping track of my riding so I could measure progress. Went out just as the sun was getting low, went down Old Spanish Trail past my usual turn-around point of Saguaro East, and made it almost all the way to Colossal Cave. The ride gets much more interesting further east, with lots of rolling hills(!), including one nasty one that nearly equalled some of the steeper ones on my Pittsburgh commute. I turned around after that one (it's uphill on the way back), and made it back just as it was falling dark.

15.68 miles 27.9 mph max speed 15.1 mph avg speed 1:02 ride time

Finally, a bike post!

in

Not that I haven't been riding, but just haven't been writing about it much lately. Yesterday I went after work for a lovely drive up to "Sabino Canyon and back":http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=10953+E+Tanque+Verde+Rd,Tucson,+AZ+85749&daddr=sabino+canyon+road+and+sunrise+drive,tucson,+az&hl=en. I got motivated to do that ride because it looked very pretty going up there on Sunday with my evil stepmom and Zachary, and as a bonus it was hilly without being Mt. Lemmon. The ride up was lovely, although I was almost out of water by the time I got to the "rec area":http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/forest/recreation/camping/sites/sabino.shtml. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when it gets even hotter; either put more bottle cages under my seat, or start carrying some full Nalgenes in my messenger bag. I'm just now getting over a cold I've had since my doctor's appointment last week, and all that stress wore my immune system down to a nub, and I immediately caught a cold from Kim, who had caught one from Zachary, who probably caught it from some germ-factory at his school. It felt good to ride, to be out sweating and having to work to keep cadence. I saw some bikers out, and I always feel vaguely silly that I'm riding some sort of middle ground between the guys riding the Lance Armstrong Trek bike (with the Lance Armstrong USPS clothes and the Lance Armstrong testicle removal plastic surgery) and the guys riding a beat-up mountain bike clearly going to school/work. I'm out there usually in baggy mtb shorts and a jersey without all kinds of gaudy logos and such over it, messenger bag on, riding my fixie.

Considering how cycle-mad this town is, I'm suprised that I haven't seen more serious fixed riders; although I did see a guy on a single-speed mountain bike the other day (shades of old "bmj":http://anklebiter.net/log/). There is "a decent site":http://www.arizonasinglespeeds.com/ out there, ("the home of ASS"), but the events don't seem to be updated all that frequently.

Anywho... on the way back I noticed a blur of a chunk of something stuck in my front tire, just left of center. Thinking that I probably didn't want to put my weight on it making a leaning left turn, I slowed down and stuck my glove over the tire to brush it off. Big mistake. "fwip" "sssssssssssssssssssssss" Yup, I flatted right on the Tanque Verde Wash overpass. Changing the tire was quick and uneventful, but my handpump doesn't seem to be worth a shite. I could only get the pressure up to about 60 without putting the little pump lever all the way through my hand, so I limped on it to the "LBS":http://sabinocycles.com/. While there I picked up a replacement tube ("David":http://bigbrit.blogspot.com/ told me to always keep two on hand) as well as one of those universal CO^2^ cartridge pump dealies. Still need to get a computer to start keeping track of my rides, since I seem to only get around on the fixie these days, as well as a slightly more comfortable split saddle. More toys, more toys.

warm scorchin'

in , ,

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; } .flickr-yourcomment { } .flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }


dusty, originally uploaded by feralboy.

Because of the "recent":http://moonoverpittsburgh.blogspot.com/2005/03/boy-on-bike-on-being-boy-on-bike.html "posts":http://moonoverpittsburgh.blogspot.com/2005/03/cycling-incompetence-and-communal-good.html floating around from friends about their rides, I've realized that I've not been riding nearly as much as I should be, especially considering that Brian is "fighting through slushy 20-degree mornings":http://www.anklebiter.net/log/archives/2005_03.html#000758 while I have the luxury of riding in "75-degree sunshine":http://www.weatherunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=tucson,%20az.

This week I've found a new favorite riding loop for after work. Down Houghton, and then ride down Old Spanish Trail to the "Saguaro National Park":http://www.nps.gov/sagu/ and back. It's a beautiful ride, with smooth tarmac and gently rolling hills. You go past all sorts of beautiful desert landscape, as well as some fantastic homes. I've gone twice this week, and I'm planning on going again today, and this time I'll bring the camera so I can share a bit.

Recently I made a few modifications to my fixie; namely I took off the rear brake and put in a quick-release axle on the front in case I need to put it on my bike rack (dropping the car off in the morning for servicing comes to mind). Few more things left... I'd like to get a better seat instead of the stock one, maybe the same "split seat":http://www.thebikebench.com/profile.asp?prodID=477 I have on the road bike. Also, I need to pick up a cyclocomputer to have a better idea about my speed and mileage so I can know when I'm slacking.

Randoms

in , ,

* Leaving this weekend to go on the family vacation to "Antigua":http://www.antigua-barbuda.org/. We'll be staying at a "lovely resort":http://www.eliteislandresorts.com/site/resorts.asp?islandID=1&resortID=11 on the south part of the island. I'm not super into laying on the beach, but there are a few things I think I'll be able to do: 1) Sleep. 2) Do lots of pushups and situps to get my flabby body back into shape in preparation for a winter of "Hueco bouldering":http://feralboy.com/log/archives/001226/. 3) Catch up on some reading. 4) walk around with my climbing shoes and a chalk bag. "Virgin":http://www.geocities.com/tryhardvideo/virgingorda.html "Gorda":http://www.utoledo.edu/~kpugh/VG-guide/ is too far away to take a puddle jumper, but it's the same volcanic formation, I think.. so there's probably at least a little bit of bouldering to be had on the island. 5) The place we're staying "has a casino":http://www.eliteislandresorts.com/site/features.asp?featureID=106&resortID=11&islandID=1, and there's also "a nice looking one":http://www.grandprincessentertainment.com/casino.htm a cab ride away. I figure there will be lots of fishy tourists (not including me, of course), so if I can find some $2/4 hold 'em I'll be very happy. * It's been pretty quiet here. Paul and April got married in New York over the weekend, and are on vacation in Banff and Jasper parks in Canada. I think they come back a week after I get back, and it will be good to see them. I have to order more holds for "the woody":http://feralboy.com/log/archives/001231/, and have some problems set for when they get back.

* Been getting out and about on my fixed-gear bike. It's a whole different kind of riding, but it's really nice to have something that's so cheap and so easy to maintain.

* "Poore Brothers Habanero Potato Chips":http://www.taquitos.net/snacks.php?snack_code=435 are the shit.

* My cat is a one-cat lizard-killing machine. I found 3 small ones scattered around the guest house just yesterday. You know that awful smell when you drive by a dead deer or something on the side of the road? Shrink that down about a fifth, and that's what the little treats are that my special boy is leaving for me.

MS150

in

Well, this past weekend was the MS150 ride, from Cranberry to Lake Erie in Ohio. 150 miles over 2 days; 80 the first day (I skipped the 100-mile "century" option) and 70 the 2nd day. I think I was more worried about the planning for the trip, and remembering to bring all the right things than I was about the actual ride. "David":http://bigbrit.blogspot.com/ was very helpful and sent a list of what to bring, what to eat, what to drink, etc. I got to the start point Saturday morning, and it was insane! I have a bit of a problem with large crowds of people, or anything feeling a little too "feel good":http://feralboy.com/log/archives/000244/, so I was really close to hopping right back in my car and heading home, but I didn't. Found Lauren, who at the last second decided she could do the ride, dropped off our luggage at the truck that would bring it to Allegheny College, and we were off!

The riding was easy, and went through lots of pretty countryside on 2-lane roads. We did our best to stay away from packs of people, as a lot of them didn't know how to ride well (there was this one woman we called "Dizzy" that we kept seeing who would swerve all over the place. When I saw her at the end of the day, I half expected her to be completely cross-eyed, but she wasn't). There were rest stops set up every 10-15 miles with water, snacks, porta-potties, bike maintenance and medical attention, if you needed it. I actually needed to stop at the first rest stop and get some band-aids to cover my one nipple. Ever since I've had them pierced (going on 10 years now) my one has always been a little more sensitive than the other, and my shirt flapping in the wind against it was making the jewelry move, and was going to make it really really unhappy. A bit of tape to hold it down solved that problem nicely.

By the end of the first day, I was feeling pretty good. No muscle fatigue, but my knees were singing. I have bad knees anyway, and after all the riding going from bent to straight was really uncomfortable. A whole bunch of "Vitamin I" helped out with that, and sleeping wasn't bad Saturday night.

Sunday I was a little stiff, but some more ibuprofen and a leisurely breakfast got me going. The riding this day was even easier; more flat, less hills and decent road surface. There was one interesting thing that happened; midway through the ride Lauren and this fellow Bob that we had met were riding about 20 feet or so ahead of me, and a guy had pulled off to the side of the road (but not on to the shoulder) ahead of them. He was repeating something like "go around" or "go left" or something as riders came up on him, but Lauren didn't move around him until the last 5-10 feet or so. As she passed by, I heard him say "Crazy bitch!" as _I_ was passing by, so I turned around and started screaming at him: "Excuse me?! You don't fucking talk to my friend like that!" He had some Canadian flag stuck in his helmet, and I wish I had the quick wit to say something like "Take your universal healthcare, bacon and Celine Dion and shove it up your ass, eh?!", but I always think of these things 30 seconds too late.

The last half of Sunday I was alone, and just pounded out the miles. I wish my commute was more like that, but I guess the hills are fun in their own way. At the finish line there were some people with MS applauding the riders as they crossed the finish line, so that was pretty cool.

Thanks to everyone who wished me well, and especially to everyone who sponsored me.

Ghost Bike Project

in

Pat pointed out the "Ghost Bike":http://www.ghostbike.org/ project that started this week. Basically a bunch of bikers took old bikes, painted them completely white, and started hanging them in places where bikers had been struck (although not necessarily killed). I think it's a good idea as far as bringing awareness, but it troubles me slightly that the "first(Intersection of Negley and Penn)":http://www.ghostbike.org/Resources/NegleyandPennlg.jpg two "places(Intersection of Negley and Baum)":http://www.ghostbike.org/Resources/NegleyandBaum2lg.jpg "pictured":http://www.ghostbike.org/photos.html are on my commute route.

Weekend ride

in

Fun little ride yesterday. Met up with "David":http://bigbrit.blogspot.com/, Casey, Aaron and some guy Mike at the oval bike track on Washington Blvd, and then we went over the R. D. Fleming bridge and up through Etna on Middle Rd. Hit 910, went east, came down into Harmarville where it catches 28, across the bridge into Oakmont, and then back down the Allegheney River Blvd. About a 30-mile loop, so probably about 40 total with the ride to and from the starting point. I felt pretty good at the end of it (and even rode in today!), so hopefully I'll be in good shape for the MS150 in about a month. Speaking of which, I finally have my "donation page":http://www.nationalmssociety.org//PAX/personal/go.asp?a=9830166&n=1&d=PAX0EMS120040612PGH&z=p set up! I only want to raise the minimum to ride, so if you feel like donating $5, be my guest! It's for a good cause, really... it's not funding my "poker habit":http://feralboy.com/log/archives/poker/ at all.

Ow, my ass...

in

I've decided to try and kick up my game a little bit with "the cycling":http://feralboy.com/log/archives/bike/. I'm going to try and do the 62-mile course for the "Pedal Pittsburgh":http://www.pedalpittsburgh.org/ ride in about 3 weeks, and then _attempt_ the "Escape to the Lake":http://www.nationalmssociety.org/pax/event/event_detail.asp?e=6437 in June, which is 150 miles over 2 days. Apparently lots of people that I know are doing the MS 150, which means that it should actually be a good time. According to "my co-worker":http://feralboy.com/log/archives/000562/, who has done it the last 7 years running or so, "it's the best workout you'll get all year." I'm kinda down with that. So, that means a whole lot of riding into work on consecutive days to try and get in a little bit better shape, and the 60-mile Pedal Pittsburgh should be a good acid test to see if I can hack the 80-mile Day 1 of the MS 150. And hey, if anyone wants to donate money for the MS ride, I need to raise $200 to enter, and I'll probably only hit my family up for half of that. ;-)