Bicycle Repair Update

Uh-oh.

Got a call from Montlake Bike Shop.  The mechanic discovered a crack in the rear wheel.  Better to do that while bike is at the shop than on a 40 mph descent down 70th or going down to Golden Gardens, or anywhere else for that matter.

Time to get back on bike delayed and budget estimates have doubled.  Need to get back on the road in time for the coffeeneuring challenge.

Into Autumn

Wound up a summer's worth of riding, capped by the commute home from TLF into the familiar autumnal southbound headwind on the BGT.  2161 miles since New Years' Eve, 91K of elevation gain, and an average speed of 12.3 mph.  So much for statistics.

And, the sluggish front derailleur finally refused to budge, cable and housing needing replacement, so off to a new (to me) LBS, Montlake Bike Shop.  Service kit, wheels to be trued, drive train, etc.  Time for the experts to do there thing.

Let's see how they do, compared to the others, but they come with strong recommendations and have sponsored Cascade Events in the past.

Probably won't be on the bike for about ten days, given the upcoming travel schedule.

The worst traffic jams (Photos): Corner Abstract

The worst traffic jams (Photos): Corner Abstract:


Are we there yet?

Training for the Challenge. A flat????

31 miles down to Leschi, through the I-90 Bike Tunnel to Zeitgeist, to do some training for the coffeeneuring challenge next month.  Then, out to the Locks to cross the ship canal, and then up 32nd NW to the new Ballard Neighborhood Greenway along NW 58th to check out the latest addition to the Seattle Bike Infrastructure.  I like these designated low traffic routes through neighborhoods as an alternative to the higher traffic arterials.

But, on the last block before I turned south on 8th to meet back up with the BGT, I picked up a big ol' industrial-sized staple, and got my first flat of the year!  After 2K miles. Almost amusing.

On a separate note, I dropped the local gym membership.  Wasn't using it, and didn't like it when I did. 5 TVs, grumpy people, broken equipment, smelly sauna, blah, blah, blah.   If I want to work out, and I will, I'll do so at TLF during the week, and use the other gym time for walking with the Brown Dog.  Fresh air.

Pedals again

So, I put the Shimano cleats on the shoes and tried out the clip ins.    Frustrating at first, and didn't like 'em at first, especially the difficulty getting clipped in as well as getting out of them, and remembered why I switched to the Speedplays originally.  20 + miles out to Locks and back, at leisurely pace, stopping to take a few photos and actually enjoy the ride, rather than booking the miles and watching the time.

Going back to what we used to do.

How to Build a Universe: Philip K. Dick on Reality, Media Manipulation, and Human Heroism | Brain Pickings

How to Build a Universe: Philip K. Dick on Reality, Media Manipulation, and Human Heroism | Brain Pickings:

This isn't bike-related, but expands on a theme we discussed last night, after attending a book-reading by Jonathan Raban.   The author of Driving Home discussed how he wrote, whether he used notes, and described how his observations, when combined with adjectives, adverbs, metaphors and similes, became a work of fiction.   In essense, he called into question the differences between fiction, non-fiction, journalism, and how we all create our realities.   To me, that is paralleled by Dick's observation, “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away."  And, 'The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words.'

Velominati › The Rules

Velominati › The Rules:

Of course, the first rule is, Break All The Rules!

Then, Grant offers his own perspective....

Of course, for advice on how to stay young, follow these rules...

Pedals

So far this year, 1900 + miles, and not as much as I'd like, but that's what the total is.   We went on our annual trip to Ashland for the OSF, and like last year, brought the bike for a ride.   43 miles out and back through the orchards and vineyards of the Rogue Valley, after a bit of drama.  Yes, I remembered to pack the bike, helmet, gloves, shorts, etc., but this time, I forgot the bike shoes.  Since the Bleriot has Speedplay Frogs installed as pedals, this situation required attention.   Drove to Siskiyou Cyclery where the good folks installed a pair of Shimano Reversable Road Pedals so I could ride in my Merrells, or sandals, or whatever, and then get a new pair of bike shoes when clipping in makes more sense.

The ride was fine with the new pedals, and not being clipped in was not a big deal, so we'll try them out for the time being while riding around the city.   And, in fact, the 23 + miles out to Sunset Hill and Golden Gardens via the BGT was just fine without the Frogs.