First long ride on the Bak today with the little one – getting back into our utility cycling groove.
Acorn
Anxiously awaiting an order with Acorn Bags. I’m hoping to get the Boxy Rando Bag and a matching Medium Saddlebag. I’ve been looking for a way to carry my gear up front where I can access it on the move. I have an Ortlieb handlebar bag that works well enough – but I hate the mounting mechanism and it keeps the weight far too high for my liking. I think the Acorn bag will be a great addition to my rando gear. It will ride on a Nitto Mark’s rack, and I’m working on a way to mount my new Schmidt Edelux. (photos from the Acorn website)
Skinny Tires
Started turning the cranks this week. Got out for a short ride to meet the boys on Sunday – took the brevet machine and felt like I was flying on the skinny (28s!) tires. I did a short loop to stretch the legs and warm up the lungs. I couldn’t push it – my airways are still inflamed from my recent bout with bronchitis and multiple asthma attacks. It felt good to spin!
No studs, and I wasn’t riding fixed – what a pleasant change of pace. The sun was out and there was a cold, clear, blue sky. I think I am starting to feel human again!
Ready to Ride
My training is way off pace. I’m stressed by the thought of even getting on the bike. I should be on the rollers. I should be focused on losing weight. According to my rough plan I should be hitting my 4-5 hour long rides starting next week – and I honestly don’t even want to ride to the grocery store. The weather has been craptastic – especially when I had my wake up call hard fall a few weeks ago. We’ve been traveling all over this winter, the whole family has been sick (I’m currently battling bronchitis and influenza A), the billable work hours are piling up (and in this economy I’ve been taking most work that comes my way).
Getting the picture. Excuses, excuses, excuses.
But honestly – it just doesn’t sound like fun anymore.
I have 2 main goals for this coming season – qualify for and finish the Endless Mountains 1240k, and enjoy the NE Fleche with our VT team of usual suspects (if we ever get confirmation on its specifics).
Jen doubled down on my EM 1240 goal. I have 3 chances to complain about it – anything from “I’m too slow, I’ll never finish” to “It’s impossible” or “I can’t ride…” No more complaining – or we cancel. And she doubled down on the weight loss, anemia, and asthma that I’ve been a horrible manager of. A good kick in the pants for sure.
Becoming a dad, trying to work part time to help with the family budget while being day to day care provider for our little one has proven more challenging than I could have dreamed. Its also been incredibly rewarding – far beyond the challenges. I just never thought it would be so hard to stay motivated. (One aspect of training I am making great strides in is sleep deprivation – the little one has been sick and going through problems with sleeping… so bring on the late night riding – I think I’m ready)
Looking for some inspiration (aside from lusting after new bike gear) I downloaded David Rowe’s The Ride of Your Life. I’m already pleased and I’m not quite through the introduction. I’ll report back as I progress. As much as I want to tear through it – I just hate reading a ‘book’ like this on the screen. Might have to sacrifice some recycled newspapers and print some of this out…
SketchUp in New Hampshire
The view from our stay in New Hampshire – atop a hill on a dirt road in what felt like the middle of nowhere. I taught a 2 day SketchUp class in the tiny town of Tamworth to a few timber framers, builders, and designers. We focused on general model building and then tightened in on timber specific joinery techniques. The scenery and the students were magnificent…
I’ll be teaching at Heartwood this May, and hopefully I’ll secure a spot at the TF Guild’s Eastern Conference.
The Bicycle errr,,, Macintosh turns 25.
Interesting post over on ZDNet about the 25th Anniversary of the Macintosh. What we all know as a Mac* could very well have been a ‘bike’.
How the Mac Was Almost a Bicycle
The name Macintosh was originally selected because it was Jef Raskin’s favorite type of apple, but the Mac almost wasn’t an Apple at all. When Raskin took a leave of absence in February 1981, Steve Jobs and Rod Holt made the decision to change Apple to something else. They felt that the name Macintosh was just a code name and that a name change was in order to reflect the change in regime.Holt decided on Bicycle as the new name that would replace Raskin’s Macintosh for the duration of the project and presented it to his design team. When they balked, Holt insisted that all references to Macintosh be changed to Bicycle, telling them that it shouldn’t really matter “since it was only a code name.” The Bicycle name originated from an ad that Apple had placed in Scientific American magazine. The ad featured quotes from Steve Jobs about computers, including one about how personal computers were “bicycles for the mind.”** The logic was that humans could run as fast as other species, but a human—on a bicycle—could beat them all. Rod’s edict was never obeyed. Somehow, Macintosh just seemed right.
The above quote comes from Apple Inc. (Corporations that Changed the World), cited in the ZDNet article.
Perhaps the bicycle will still change the world – but it will be the pedal kind, not the desktop variety.
*anxiously waiting until early next month when I most likely upgrade to a MacBook Pro. I’ll still be running XP on the BootCamp side for some stodgy CAD apps…
**Alan @ EcoVelo has posted vid of the ‘bicycles of the mind’ clip.
Hard Fall
Took a hard fall on my way to the Sunday ride. 15mph or so heading downhill on the slick slick snow and ice. Even with the studs and knobbies the front wheel washed out in the car tire snow wake. Once it started there was no recovery. I got out of my pedals and landed clear of the bike in the lane on my left side. Elbow bashed and I have a football sized bruise on my left hip. No traffic behind me so I popped up, did the mental systems check, snagged the bike which slid 10′ down the road, slipped on the ice in my cleats and was slowly moving again. Sat with the boys sipping coffee and we stayed warm inside for most of the morning. When we finally hit the road we climbed up to UVM and then I decided to headed home… content that I got out and thankful that I escaped with only some serious soreness and bruising. Bike seems fine, front wheel has the slightest wobble – but the Surly is covered in grime – so I need to do a quick cleaning and have a look and see if anything is out of alignment.
Fluffy
Fluffy Sunday ride. When the sun was out it was gorgeous. 1/2 of the Sunday crew took off on the XC skis – so we enjoyed the coffee at City Market and slopped and slid through town. I broke off to cruise the side streets in the neighborhood after a slog on the lakefront MUP. The Nokian 35’s did OK in the snow… wish I had a Pugs with really wide tires for the deep stuff. Battery on the camera went dead – maybe due to the cold + my lack of remembering to charge it – so no fluffy pics with blue sky.
12-25-08
Fixed gear ride in the hills and snow south of Utica, NY.
2 plows, 6 cars, lots of snow.
Happy Holidays!
