Found a cool video of a bicycle-riding robot. His hill climbing style is a lot like mine.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Longitudinal Cracks
Longitudinal cracks (pavement cracks that run parallel to the road) are one of the more dangerous road hazards around. I had a run-in with one on today's ride that could have been fatal.
I was riding out to Lake Keystone on SH 51, when I tried to avoid a rough patch of shoulder by moving out into the lane. My back tire caught a crack between the shoulder and the lane, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground, squarely in the middle of the lane, looking back the way I came. If a car had been passing me, it would have knocked me into the next county.
I ended up without a scratch, or even a bruise, but the bike took a good, hard lick. The crash ground a chunk of metal off of my rear quick release lever. The Look logo on my left pedal is mostly gone. The ratchet buckle on my left shoe was badly scuffed. The left brifter was knocked out of line, and I'm going to need some new bar tape on the left side.
I hauled the bike onto the shoulder and checked it out. Had to put the chain back on the chain rings. Gave the wheels a once over, got back on the bike and finished the ride.
The route I took can be seen here. The crash happened at about the 15 mile point on the map. The full ride, including about 4.4 miles round trip to the start point on the map, was 37.9 miles. Time for the ride was 2:14:30. Avg speed was 16.9 mph. Avg. HR was 139 (74% of max.).
I was riding out to Lake Keystone on SH 51, when I tried to avoid a rough patch of shoulder by moving out into the lane. My back tire caught a crack between the shoulder and the lane, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground, squarely in the middle of the lane, looking back the way I came. If a car had been passing me, it would have knocked me into the next county.
I ended up without a scratch, or even a bruise, but the bike took a good, hard lick. The crash ground a chunk of metal off of my rear quick release lever. The Look logo on my left pedal is mostly gone. The ratchet buckle on my left shoe was badly scuffed. The left brifter was knocked out of line, and I'm going to need some new bar tape on the left side.
I hauled the bike onto the shoulder and checked it out. Had to put the chain back on the chain rings. Gave the wheels a once over, got back on the bike and finished the ride.
The route I took can be seen here. The crash happened at about the 15 mile point on the map. The full ride, including about 4.4 miles round trip to the start point on the map, was 37.9 miles. Time for the ride was 2:14:30. Avg speed was 16.9 mph. Avg. HR was 139 (74% of max.).
Friday, June 22, 2007
Wind vs. Hills
Some people prefer climbing hills over riding into a headwind, but I'm not one of them. I can cope with wind. I can hide in the pack on a group ride. I can grab my drops if I'm riding solo. I get to drop the scrawny little buggers that drop me on the hills. And the headwind on the outbound leg of the ride becomes a tailwind on the return leg. I've never ridden into a headwind bad enough to force me to get off the bike and walk. I've encountered several hills I couldn't climb on the bike.
Hills, on the other hand, are a pain in the... legs. I make it a point to include at least one or two climbs on almost every ride, but only because I need the training. Never out of any enjoyment of the climb. For me, climbing hills is like banging your head against a wall. It feels good when you quit, and that's the only thing to be said for it.
I'm trying to get ready for the Tour of Payne ride this Fourth of July, and the course is one damned roller after another. If there's a quarter mile stretch of flat road anywhere on the course, I don't know where it is. This is sort of course that fat guys like me hate. I get dropped by scrawny little buggers that I'd beat like stepchildren on a flat course. The July heat hammers me, in spite of the Gatorade I chug at the rest stops. So why do it? Because it forces me to learn to deal with hills and summer heat, and that makes me a stronger, faster rider. Sometimes, you gotta do rides that get you out of your comfort zone.
Hills, on the other hand, are a pain in the... legs. I make it a point to include at least one or two climbs on almost every ride, but only because I need the training. Never out of any enjoyment of the climb. For me, climbing hills is like banging your head against a wall. It feels good when you quit, and that's the only thing to be said for it.
I'm trying to get ready for the Tour of Payne ride this Fourth of July, and the course is one damned roller after another. If there's a quarter mile stretch of flat road anywhere on the course, I don't know where it is. This is sort of course that fat guys like me hate. I get dropped by scrawny little buggers that I'd beat like stepchildren on a flat course. The July heat hammers me, in spite of the Gatorade I chug at the rest stops. So why do it? Because it forces me to learn to deal with hills and summer heat, and that makes me a stronger, faster rider. Sometimes, you gotta do rides that get you out of your comfort zone.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Took it Easy, Mostly
I was still feeling a little flat from Monday and Tuesday's rides, so I took it easy yesterday. Did about 15 miles of flat MUP at an easy recovery pace. The only part of the ride that was any challenge at all was a hill at the West end of the Creek Turnpike Trail that I used to have to walk the bike up, when I was starting out. I climbed it sitting down, using the middle chainring. Wasn't that hard, really. Of course I'm 30-40 lbs lighter than I was when I had to walk up that hill, and that probably makes a bit of difference.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Back in Town
I spent a couple of days at my Mom's house. She's 80, still drives, but doesn't drive in Tulsa traffic. So every couple of weeks or so, I go over to her place, spend my "weekend" (I work Saturdays and Sundays, get Mondays and Tuesdays off) there, and take her shopping.
Took the bike, and managed to get in a couple of decent rides. Monday, I rode from Wagoner to Hulburt and back. It had rained the night before, but most of the pavement was dry by the time I started. Not much wind, but warm and humid. I didn't ride Sunday, so I was reasonably well rested. The route is mostly small rollers, and I averaged about 17.2 mph on the outbound leg. Stopped in Hulburt for a couple of minutes to catch my breath and take a swig of Gatorade.
Turned around and headed back. The wind might have picked up a bit or shifted my way, because I made much better time coming back. Average speed on the return leg was about 18.7 mph, and the last 4-5 miles I did between 20 and 22 mph. Got sprinkled on a bit on the return leg, which might also have been a motivating factor. Average speed for the whole ride was 17.9 mph.
Tuesday, I rode from Wagoner to Muskogee. Took SH 16 thru Okay and turned around just short of US 62. The route is flat to rolling. Couldn't manage as good a pace as yesterday's ride because my legs were still a little tired. Light breeze from the south. Averaged 16.8 mph going out, and 18.2 coming back. Average speed overall was 17.4 mph.
Took the bike, and managed to get in a couple of decent rides. Monday, I rode from Wagoner to Hulburt and back. It had rained the night before, but most of the pavement was dry by the time I started. Not much wind, but warm and humid. I didn't ride Sunday, so I was reasonably well rested. The route is mostly small rollers, and I averaged about 17.2 mph on the outbound leg. Stopped in Hulburt for a couple of minutes to catch my breath and take a swig of Gatorade.
Turned around and headed back. The wind might have picked up a bit or shifted my way, because I made much better time coming back. Average speed on the return leg was about 18.7 mph, and the last 4-5 miles I did between 20 and 22 mph. Got sprinkled on a bit on the return leg, which might also have been a motivating factor. Average speed for the whole ride was 17.9 mph.
Tuesday, I rode from Wagoner to Muskogee. Took SH 16 thru Okay and turned around just short of US 62. The route is flat to rolling. Couldn't manage as good a pace as yesterday's ride because my legs were still a little tired. Light breeze from the south. Averaged 16.8 mph going out, and 18.2 coming back. Average speed overall was 17.4 mph.
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