Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Last night I made it out to our Tuesday evening hammerfest in Delaware. We had a great group last night and a good sized turnout. Most of the major instigators were present and this was one of the fastest paced Tuesday rides I have attended. A few sustained efforts of around 28 mph. About 6 of us were together at the finish and our average speed for the entire ride was 23 mph on the button.

After the ride Chairman Fred mentioned to me that the pace of this ride seems to increase each season - I would have to agree.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

July has been a tough month for cyclists here in central Ohio. For me, a good friend and team mate experienced a painful race-related crash that required an extended hospital stay as part of his recovery. And, along with countless area cyclists, I experienced the tragic loss of a kind, safe and well respected rider. The sad details of this fatal accident are well known so I won’t elaborate on them here.

This morning I read a post from a cycling friend in which, as a result of last week’s cycling fatality, he shares his feelings regarding the dangers of our sport and some questions he has about getting back on his bike and riding on the roads. I guess I’ve been having those same thoughts as well.

Unfortunately serious bike accidents on the road can stir up feelings of “us against them” between cars and cyclists. Some motorists feel cyclists are dangerous obstacles that have no place on the road while some cyclists feel motorists resent cyclist’s legal rights to be there. These conflicting perspectives put me in a bit of a tough spot.

I am a cyclist and I love this sport. For me it is much more than a hobby or fitness activity. Cycling is a lifestyle and a way of life. My friends are cyclists, my vacations are cycling related and my free time is spent racking up thousands of miles each year. Cycling defines the person I am.

I’m also a motorist. My job requires that I drive around 50,000 miles each year visiting customers throughout Ohio, the adjoining states and beyond. Unfortunately bike commuting is not an option for me but I support (and sometime envy) my friends who have the wonderful opportunity to choose this healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport.

I try to use my “dual role” perspective to be a safe driver who is considerate of cyclists I encounter on the road and to be a safe, predictable cyclist who is aware that I share the road with motorists facing their own share of daily challenges. I think most folks feel the same way. But it is that small minority of inconsiderate or distracted individuals we need to be aware of when we are behind the wheel or on the saddle.

In the end I acknowledge the dangers of road cycling and plan to continue doing so because of the enjoyment and quality of life it provides. While this past weekend’s tragedy demonstrates that safe riding does not eliminate serious dangers, I’ll ride as carefully and defensively as I can to reduce these risks as much as possible. I’m also hopeful that increased awareness and empathy between motorists and cyclists will help make our roads safer for everyone.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Steve Barbour Update – very sad news

Last night I learned that Steve Barbour had sustained serious, irreversible brain damage as a result of his cycling injury this past Saturday.

This morning I was informed that Steve has passed away as a result of his injuries. Our cycling community has experienced a terrible loss in Steve's passing.

The understanding that the motorist who struck Steve was intoxicated is currently pending confirmation. If this is true I can only hope justice will be served to the fullest extent of the law when this irresponsible driver has his day in court.

Steve's family remains in my thoughts & prayers.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Painful Riding

Summer is a great time of year for lots of reasons. Cook outs, concerts, vacations, and of course, cycling with friends. However, summer also seems to have become a very dangerous time of year to be out on our bikes. Earlier this summer, on two separate occasions, a few good friends of mine (including Marco) took bad spills when a dog chased the group and ran into them during a regular weekly ride. Both of these accidents could have been avoided if the dog’s owners were responsible and law abiding pet owners who kept their animals tied up or inside a fence. Each incident resulted in the riders taking a trip to the hospital to be X-rayed and patched up.

This past weekend two other friends were involved in cycling accidents which were even more serious. My team mate George is currently in the hospital with 6 broken ribs and a fractured scapula after tangling with someone at the Troy race this past weekend. Steve Barbour, a long time cyclist who is active with COP, was struck by a motorist in Hilliard early Saturday morning while on his way to lead a group ride headed to Bellefontaine. Currently Steve is hospitalized and is in a coma. Sadly, rumor has it the motorist who struck Steve was intoxicated.

Cycling is a great past time and it’s a big part of my life. Unfortunately cycling also seems to be getting more dangerous. Maybe it is simply due to more people becoming involved in the sport as it grows in popularity. But at the end of the day each of these incidents could have been avoided if the individuals causing them had been acting in a responsible manner.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Tripping to Peru (Part 2): Cuzco & the Inca Trail

Tripping to Peru (Part 1)

More on our trip to Peru from this past May:

Cuzco:

After our walking tour through Lima it was back to the hotel for some well needed rest before flying out to Cuzco the next morning.

The next morning we were up at 4:00 am to take a quick shower, pack and enjoy a quick breakfast of coffee and warm bread with jam. We also met Tilly, an attorney from Germany who would join us on our trip to Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and the Amazon Jungle. Tilly is an attorney from Germany who has lived in the UK for many years. So many years, in fact, that she had developed a British accent. Around 5:30 we were picked up by a van and taken to the airport where we would catch our flight to Cuzco.

We landed in Cuzco and met Lucho, our guide for the next several days. He was a really great guy with lots of enthusiasm and knowledge about the area. Cuzco is a beautiful, historic city that was once the capitol of the entire Inca Empire that totaled as many 4 million people at it peak sometime in the 1500’s. Firm dates and history on the Inca people are unknown since their civilization did not have a written language.

We spent the day in Cuzco touring the city, checking out the food market and the San Pedro craft market where we bought lots of great souvenirs. We also walked up the steep roads to Sacsayhuaman (pronounced "sexy woman") to check out the remains of a really incredible Inca community. Lucho took us to a great shop that sold delicious coca tea and coca chocolates. We enjoyed this shop so much that we visited it again when we returned to Cuzco later in our trip.

While we were in Cuzco we went horseback riding over some paths that took us to a number of different Inca remains. One memorable part of this activity was almost getting kicked by my horse when I made the greenhorn mistake of walking behind it. Lesson learned, I’m pretty certain I won’t make that error again.

After a nice dinner at a great authentic Peruvian restaurant, it was back to the hotel for bed before another early morning wake up call for our trip on to the Inca Trail!

The Inca Trail!

Early the next morning we were up for breakfast before meeting our Martin & Joseph, our tour guides for the Inca Trail. They weighed our stuff sacks of clothes and mine was about 1 pound over the weight limit. Porters would carry our bags along the trail and there was a weight limit for the amount of baggage we could bring. I removed a half dozen Mojo bars and 1 base layer shirt and stuffed them in my daypack and this brought the weight of my stuff sack within the limits. We then climbed aboard the large van which included the rest of our Inca Trail group and we were off and running.

The ride to the start of the Inca trail probably took an hour or so and included a few memorable events. As we climbed up the mountain and along the curving roads someone in our van yelled “pull over” just before Kyle, one of the passengers, became sick. We originally thought Kyle was suffering from motion sickness but later we learned that he and the rest of his family ate something that didn’t sit well with them. After pulling off the road to dismount and clean up the inside of the van, we loaded up again and continued on. As we got closer to the start of the trail we saw several sections of road with piles of rocks in them that became obstacles for our van as well as other vehicles traveling along in front and behind us. We later learned from our guides that the rocks had been placed in the road by local farmers who were on strike in opposition to the Peruvian government’s plan to privatize the supply of water that flowed from the Andes Mountains. This water was a free resource the farmers used for their crops and privatization would create a major expense that would threaten their livelihood.

After stopping a few times to move rocks from the road our van arrived at the start of the Inca Trail where we grouped up, received our bag of snacks for the 4-day hike, received a briefing on our upcoming journey and paid our fees to hike the trail. We also receive a very cool stamp in our passports!

It is really difficult to summarize the next 4 days of our trip. Our hike though the Andes Mountains along the Inca trail was totally incredible and this portion of our adventure was a highlight of the trip. We started off at a relatively low altitude where the weather was sunny and warm and we would eventually hike up to an elevation of 13,800 feet where we reached at “Dead Women’s Pass” the day before reaching Macho Pichu. The entire trail was paved with large stones set into the ground hundreds of years ago. According to our guides it is believed that the Inca people had quarries throughout the region to supply the stones and that slaves may have been used to set the stones in place. But the skill, time and human resources that must have been required to complete this incredible task are mind boggling to me.

We were really well cared for during our trip along the Inca Trail. Each day we would stop for lunch at a scenic spot where tents had been set up and hot, delicious food had been prepared for us. We would then hike the rest of the afternoon before arriving at our campsite for the evening where the dining tent had been set up along with the tents all of us would sleep in each evening. We were served hot coca tea and a light snack before dinner and we enjoyed a great meal by candle light each evening. Our porters set everything up and tore everything down each day and then carried our moving campsite along the trails. It was incredible to watch these nimble footed men fly past us on the trail while carrying large loads of tents, chairs, food and personal items. One memory that stands out for me was watching one porter carry two 5-gallon cans of water up a steep section of the trail as I struggled to climb the same section with only a light daypack. These guys were truly amazing.

Our first evening at camp the sky was crystal clear and we could see satellites passing along the sky. We also saw the Milky Way, the Southern Cross and a large, brilliant shooting star.

The sights along the trail were more incredible than anything I can put into words. Beautiful valleys, mountain views, wild life and flora were our constant companions as we hiked toward Machu Pichu.

Coming up: Machu Pichu!

Tripping to Peru (Part 3)

Daddy needs a new pair of shoes

Well, “needs” might be a bit strong, but “wants” definitely applied when my sweetie and I stopped at Performance on Sunday (sorry Butch!). Actually I have been in the market for a new pair of cycling shoes for awhile since the distinctive yellow Time shoes I’ve been wearing for several years have been looking a bit long in the tooth for some time.

People who know me will probably agree that I can be a bit frugal and it takes awhile to pull the trigger on a major purchase (for me new shoes fall into that category). I wasn’t planning to buy anything during our little shopping excursion but shortly after entering the store I spotted the Shimano R160 cycling shoes which were marked down from $219.99 to $124.00. On top of that my sweetie had a 15% off coupon that she agreed to share with me! After trying on these shoes and liking the look and the fit, I walked out the door with a nice pair of carbon soled cycling shoes for about $105.00. Bingo!

So I began thinking about the different pairs of cycling shoes I have worn since I began riding in my school days (I still have every pair of cycling shoes I have ever owned). The first shoes I bought were a pair of Detto Piettro Art 74’s that I ordered from the Bike Nashbar catalog sometime around 1982 for about $29.00. I recall that I also needed to order a pair of Nashbar’s “knock off” Campy pedals with Christophe toe straps and some aluminum toe clips. After figuring out the position of the cleats I was off on my bike, feeling like a true cyclist. During this ride I fell over at a stop light when I couldn’t loosen the toe straps in time to pull my feet out. Injuring nothing other than my pride, I pressed on and soon became comfortable in my stylish new Italian cycling shoes.

As so often happens in cycling, technology took a step forward with the advent of clipless pedals in the mid 80’s. I resisted this latest development as long as I could until a few years later when Gerry Fornes posted a small ad in the FBCI newsletter stating he was selling off some of his copious extra cycling gear. Listed in his add were a pair of new Time pedals he won in a race so they were being sold pretty cheap (my kind of deal!). I recall being interested in the Time pedals because at that time they had more float than the Looks and they would be easier on my knees. Since these pedals did not fit my Detto’s I was off to the old Nashbar Outlet store in Arlington where I picked up some Sidi’s (on sale!) that worked with these pedals when a thick plastic adapter plate was bolted to the sole. As a bonus the Sidi’s sported velcro strips which were much easier to use than the laces on my Detto’s. No more falling over at stop signs for me!

The Sidi’s served me well for over 10 years before they started showing signs of age. In the late 90’s Brother Jeff told me about a website in the UK that was offering Time shoes (in that fashionable yellow color) for a very attractive price since, at that time, the US dollar was strong against the British Pound. I guess I didn’t really need a new pair of shoes but it would be nice to get away from those bulky adapter plates.

So for about 10 more years those distinctive yellow Time shoes were my constant cycling companion through hill and valley, sun and rain and occasional snow. The Time’s are probably the first pair of shoes I have replaced before they were worn out or rendered obsolete. But these new Shimano’s felt right and I’m sure they will enjoy an equally long life (as long as pedal technology doesn’t change any time soon).

I guess a lot of cycling gear is replaced before it is truly worn out as we become seduced by the latest style, color or gram saving widget being used by the pros in Europe. But four pairs of cycling shoes in 27 years isn’t too bad, is it?

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Greetings from Asheville

Tom Will and Marco climbing the Parkway en route to Mt. Mitchell

Mark & Mel - our tour directors for the week

The boys on Mount Mitchell

This week I had the opportunity to participate in Mark & Mel’s annual trek to Asheville NC. This is the 3rd trip I have made with them and I love taking in some of the very best cycling to be found in these here 50 states.

I got in to town about 11:30 Sunday evening and, after enjoying a late night slice of Mellow Mushroom pizza, I was off to bed. The next morning, after watching the day’s stage of the Tour de France, Mark, Mel and I set off from our rental house for a ride through Asheville and onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. We climbed up 5000 feet to the Mount Pisgah Inn where we re-fueled on Cokes and oatmeal crème cookies at the Inn’s general store. After a few minutes rest we pulled on our arm warmers and bombed back down the mountain and rolled back home. The weather was great and the roads were smooth.

The next day we took a break to visit some bike shops and relax around the house in preparation of the arrival of Tom and Andy Will who would join us after taking a few days to do some mountain biking.

Marco and Andy on their way up the mountain

This morning our group of 5 drove on the Parkway to the Craggy Gardens visitor center where we set off on our bikes for the climb up to Mount Mitchell. At 6700 feet Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi. The weather was cool and overcast which made for a comfortable ride up the mountain.

The fog was thick as pea soup at the summit of Mt. Mitchell.

As we neared the top of Mt. Mitchell fog appeared and it grew more thick as we approached the summit. At the top, visibility was limited which made for an interesting and at times, dicey descent back down the mountain. Once we reached the Parkway the fog cleared and we had a nice ride back to Craggy Garden.

Riding home in style - just me and the bikes!

Tonight we are watching the day’s recap of the Tour De France and looking forward to tomorrow which should offer another great day on the bikes.

Mel shows the boys how she is gonna drop us like a bad habit on the descent back down the mountain!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Tripping to Peru (Part 1) Lima, Ica & Nazca

I can’t believe it has been a little over a month since my Sweetie and I ventured to Peru for our “adventure of a lifetime”. Actually the adventure began before we left Columbus on May15th. Our flight was supposed to leave around 2:30 Friday afternoon and we would fly through Atlanta and then on to Lima with an ETA Saturday morning. While waiting in Port Columbus we learned that a member of the flight crew refused to work our flight which caused a cancellation. We were then re-routed to Cincinnati and then on to JFK in New York where we would then fly on to Lima. To make a long story short, we had one heck of an adventure getting to JFK where our 12:30 am flight was delayed until around 2:30 am. We finally boarded our LAN Chile flight and arrived late, but safely, in Lima Saturday afternoon. The LAN flight and crew were great! The service and food we received (2 meals – dinner and lunch!) were well above average. We received two flight vouchers from Delta for the cancelled flight and these will come in handy for our next adventure.

Our plan after arriving in Lima was to travel south to Ica where we would enjoy sand boarding and sand buggying on the dunes before traveling on to see the Nazca Lines. The flight delay prevented us from enjoying the sand dunes since we did not arrive in Ica until late Saturday evening. The hotel where stayed in Ica was really great and they offered a nice breakfast which included lots of local fruits like mango, papaya, cactus and my very favorite fruit: grenadilla.

After an early breakfast we were picked up at our hotel for the ride to Nazca which took about 1 ½ hours. The area between Ica and Nazca is mostly dessert but the scenery is still pretty interesting with a variety of plant life and rocky terrain. In Nazca we drove to the airport where we took a 45 minute plane ride to see the Nazca Lines – mysterious stone carvings in the desert floor. The carvings included various animals and designs and no one knows for sure how they came to be. While we were flying a girl in our plane became air sick due to all the sharp maneuvers our pilot took to allow passengers on both sides of the plane to see the different designs. My stomach survived the flight but I think another 20 minutes of swerving around the sky above Nazca may have taken its toll on me.

After our flight was over we were given a ride into Nazca where we had some time to walk around the town, check out some local markets, and then visit the Nazca museum before catching a quick lunch. The museum was pretty cool with lots of history and artifacts from the ancient Nazca civilization that once inhabited the area. Included in the artifacts were mummies, skulls and tombs – definitely some pretty cool stuff! After lunch it was time to catch our double decker bus for the long ride back to Lima where we arrived late that evening.

We arrived in Lima that evening where we were picked up at the bus station by our tour company and then taken to our hotel in Miraflora. Upon arrival at our hotel we learned that they did not have our reservation or an available room. After showing the hotel clerk a copy of the confirmation of our hotel reservation, he grabbed our bags and walked us down the street to a neighboring hotel where we were able to secure comfortable lodging for the evening. After a comfortable night’s sleep we would have time the next morning to tour Miraflora before meeting up with the rest of our tour group for our upcoming excursion to Cuzco, The Sacred Valley, The Inca Trail and then on to the Amazon Jungle.

Coming up…Cuzco and the Inca Trail.

Tripping to Peru (Part 2)

Tripping to Peru (Part 3)

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Wretched Excess

I received my Colorado Cyclist Catalog this week and while leafing through it yesterday morning I came across the new Shimano Dura Ace Di2 electronic shifter upgrade. While I have read some positive reviews on this new product I was still totally bowled over by the price tag for this kit which consists a set of shifters, a battery and a front & rear derailleur. Listed at nearly $3300.00 I have to wonder how much better this innovation may perform compared to the mechanical counterpart which costs about $1000.00.

Seeing this product and its exorbitant price tag made me think a bit more about something that has been troubling to me for some time – the unbelievable increase in the cost of bike gear. Looking through this same catalog I saw $2000.00 wheel sets from Mavic and $6000.00 frame sets from Time. Doing some quick math in my head it seems it would be easy to pay over $14,000 for a full bike from these guys.

If you put together a bike this expensive is there any way you could hop on it for a spin around town without a pair of $500.00 bike shoes, a $250.00 helmet, a $300.00 jersey and a $250.00 pair of shorts?. Oh yea, I almost forgot about that pair of $250.00 sunglasses. That’s almost $1600.00 in gear! Do the products that carry these high price tags perform noticeably better than their lesser priced counterparts?

This isn't a criticism of Colorado Cyclist. I like this company and have purchased quite a few items from them over the years. Besides, I’m sure other mail order vendors offer products along these same price lines.

I’m not sure if customer demand for new innovations are fueling these high prices or if the component companies themselves are simply pushing the price envelope year after year in an effort to see how much money they can charge for the latest gram-saving widget. Regardless of the reason I better get used to the bike I’m riding now because I surely don’t see myself being able to afford an upgrade any time soon.