Ride Around Seattle with Cascade Bike Club

40 miles on an unusually warm and dry January Sunday morning with the Cascade Bike Club.    The loop included an extension over the Jose Rizal Bridge and down Beacon Avenue South past the Jefferson golf course, somewhere I had not ridden!   Fun to ride with Julie, Leo, Eric and about 20 others.   I missed the beginning at Gas Works, but caught up with the group in Discovery Park.  As their route did not include the scenic overlook at the Magnolia Bluff, I split off and then stopped at Zeitgeist for some sustenance.  While sipping coffee, I watched Leo lead the peloton up Jackson, causing a hurry-up and catch-up, accomplished in plenty of time.   Good to ride in a group again, and hope to do more.

New Year!

Last day of 2011, but first ride after Winter Solstice and 6 weeks off the bike, for holidays, sick, tired, recovering, antibiotics and reaction thereto. 26 miles on the familiar Magnolia Loop, now upgraded with the extension of the Ship Canal Trail under the Ballard Bridge. Took things nice and slow, and the Bleriot performed well after the annual tune at EBB.

Saw another Rivendell, a Rambouillet, and then met up with Russ from the loosely formed Seattle Rivendell Riders group for the last few miles up the BGT. We pledged to make some of those rides happen again soon, another great resolution for 2012!

2010 Wrap-Up

22 miles around Magnolia after about a three-week layoff and sporadic riding since early fall. I'll finish the year with about 1900 miles, considerably less than Lynne or Biking Bis. Ending odometer reading = 778.3 miles. Let's see if we can get that > 4,000 by end of 2011.

Lots of reasons for the mileage drop, some of them even justified, but the resolutions for the new year include riding more and drive less. Add to that, Don't Feed the Trolls.

Summer in November

My oh my, what a ride, and did I need that ever. 73 degrees in November in Seattle is unheard of. TLF craziness, amorphous and ever-expanding project lacking in direction, resources, leadership, distracted and lazy students, classroom frustration, election defeat and country going right-wing nuts again, ignorance winning, feeling sick for about three weeks, and all made me want to GTFO and into the sunshine.

Time for two-wheeled therapy.

31 miles, and now I feel a whole lot better.

Back on the Bike

Thirty miles yesterday a.m. on a warm fall afternoon. Nothing special about the Golden Gardens>Locks>Magnolia loop, as I've done it many times, but it seems like years since I've been on the bike. Given the crazy schedule and travel this year, the miles have not come as easily as before.

The ride felt great, the Bleriot rode well, and I turned off the head phones for the return to listen to the world and to join the Commuting Peloton.

Nice to be back.

Life Cycles and Bicycles

We were treated to another spectacular autumn day, today, strong and chilly north wind, like those Santa Anas in So Cal. The past few weeks have brought a new academic year at TLF, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, now a Full Moon. Zach landed safely in Guadalajara on the first leg of his latest adventure, and his parents exhaled.


I rode about 300 miles in September, which is more than I thought I booked. And, that doesn't include a 30 mile circuit today of Magnolia and then down to Pioneer Square to catch a bit of the M's season finale.


One of the many great things about Safeco Field is that you can peer into home plate from outside on Royal Brougham. Saw Felix strike out the side and Junior drill a line drive in one of his last at bats. Will he be back? We'll put a big we'll see on that, but as they say, "Wait 'til next year!" Is it the end or another beginning? Yes is the answer.

First Flat

Warm afternoon and enough time to do the 25 mile Magnolia Loop, where I stopped along the bluff to snap a few photos.



On the descent on the back side of the hill, the front wheel started to wobble. At first I thought the wind was blowing me around, but then I realized that the front tire was out of air! After some 3000 miles and about nine months, the Bleriot had its first flat. Easy enough to replace the tube and get back on the road, but my little Blackburn pump could only so much pressure. Still it was enough to get back to the trail and on to Counterbalance Cycles, who kindly provide free air to those who need it along the BGT.

Magnolia Loop

25 miles in about 2 hours, including hydration stops and gear tinkering, not bad for a finals week spin and clear-out-the-cobwebs jaunt. Saw this fine looking motor-sailer on the Ship Canal.

Three classes in the books, and one to go, then on to the completion of the BBD&A activities, do the taxes and then get ready for spring.

Also had some high-tech medical exam stuff going on this week, with a CAT scan (my first!) to see if any more action is warranted with what's been going on in my nose.

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

The view from Magnolia Bluff on this warm November morning was spectacular, with the ferry entering the fog and Rainier in the background. It felt good to get back on the bike, although I'm sluggish after a layoff. Then, drifted down to Pioneer Square for an espresso at Zeitgeist, where the Seahawks Faithful were getting warmed up to face another loss.

Here's the continuum from the sublime to the ridiculous captured in one shot through the glass. The cafe denizens bent over their laptops did their best to ignore the guy with his face painted and his embarrassing costume. Why do adults dress up like this when they go to a football game?

October in August?

While sitting on the bench at the Locks, out of the rain after doing the Magnolia Loop, listening to the thunder, watching the occasional flash of lightning, I wondered at what point did August turn into October? Time to put on the fenders, after drying out the shoes....

Maybe Liz has it right....

After finishing Blood Meridian, it's time for a different novel as the schlep of summer quarter begins to recede into the wet of Autumn...

2007 Wrap

Finished the year with a 31.5 loop around Magnolia and through downtown with return via Leschi. Mileage totaled 3044!

A final clear, sunny day on NYE 2007

Across Elliott Bay. The days are finally starting to get longer again!

And, lots of snow in the Cascades!

So, goal setting for 2008 is in order, but not in a particular order

• More miles this year than last!
• Training rides, including as much of the Cascade Training Series as is practical, on a frequent basis.
• Weight-room, including core training for back and belly, at least 2x weekly, when able to ride!
• Volunteering for CBC events, starting with Bike Expo.
• Flying Wheels
• STP
• RSVP
• One more in September - NYC, Tahoe, or ????
• Keep the Lemond in good condition throughout....
  

Keeping rubber side of bike down, helmet side up, enjoying the ride!