Another day in the swamp

I was DC bound today. Jumped Rt 270 down to the Shady Grove Metro. Surprised and thankful no real backups on road or metro today. Saw a pretty scary bike messenger this morning coming out of client office, but he had a cool ride. Some people like this messenger just lurve bein grumpy - I dont get it.

After some computer fun the day was flying. Pretty sweet I even squeezed in a pizza run for lunch, mmmm good and greasy. Well honestly I didnt run for lunch just walked to Pinos - too hot out for running unless youre being chased.

More computer fun and it was time to roll out. Reverse course, metro to Rt 270 up North. Im rollin in a loaner from car repair shop. This sweet ride has 357,000 miles on it! Amazing - it runs great and AC is ice cold.

When home I was in mission mode. Few minutes play time with pup then change and out the door. My legs were up to speed before I made it out of Frederick. Due to late start I had to take the bike light. I always feel safer with the light when close to sunset.

Shoot the heat was just draining me. As I hit steep section of Hamburg Rd in 1st half of the ride I noticed my lower legs were tightening up. Last time I felt this I had cramps in both lower legs. Ugh. Hmm, maybe eating better lunch would help. Or having a water instead of coke with my pizza. Nah, coke and pizza is perfect match cant break that up. I decided to speed up in attempt to ignore any muscle tightness. Wow, it actually worked. Bonus - now I was actually going pretty fast up hill. Before I knew it I was at top and prepping for downhill.

Coming down Coxey Brown Rd I shook out the leg tightness. Then time to get a good hold on brakes and clamp bike frame between my legs for stability. That darn road has some well hidden pot holes. The darkness almost had me flying over the handlebars as I hit brakes late and hard to bunny hop nasty crater in pavement.

That sunset was cool. Half way down mountain I had to stop for couple snaps. I never learn - when stopped for picture I leaned my leg against the front rim - OUCH thats hot! Amazing the rim gets flaming hot when braking hard for over a mile. Then time to hop back on for rocket ride to Harmony Rd at valley bottom.

I rode a few circles as shifting out of big front ring and into easiest gear then - going up. Good rhythm and pedal strokes. Lower back not too tight so I could keep weight centered. Always stoked when I can bust the 1st switch back seated and comfortable. Then I rode thru the false flat and back into woods rest of way to top. I love the nice tree shade along the road but swarms of bugs in forest - not my favorite. I made it back to Hamburg and a load off shoulders as this means - downhill most of way home.

As I rode past Fort Detrick I saw a bank sign displaying time and temp - 8:57 pm/ 97 degrees - wow. At least the sun was down and there was a breeze flowing. Not that I even noticed cuz I had home on mind. I raced thru Baker park and back to the hood. Oh yeah another good day

July 4th Weekend

Great weekend for bicyclists. Saturday the 3rd TdF kickoff in Rotterdam with a 10 mile prologue (individual time trial thru city streets). All weekend here in Frederick we had beautiful clear sunny skies. I hit the streets this weekend for a few hours riding each day. Monday I had the day off from work so I went out for a mid day ride. Nothing like the crushing midday sun to snap the elastic on your ride. I flew thru an almost cleaned up Baker Park (site of Sunday's Firework celebration). I hit Rosemont St and actually cruised all the traffic lights (wow, that doesnt happen often - I usually get stuck at 1st light and have to struggle to keep up with traffic out of town).

By time I made it to base of Catoctins my legs were fully warmed. The climb up to Hamburg Rd was smooth and fast. Little traffic on Hamburg helped increase my tempo. By time I topped mtn I noticed calf muscles a bit tight. No time now I had to get moving.

Left turn on Gambrill and short rise to Coxey Brown. Then get a good grip on brakes and shake out the legs for about 3 miles of downhill fun. At bottom of mtn I was really feeling hot and stopped in shade. A quick call to Lallo's Pizza in Wolfsville told me that I had waited too long to get out the door today, they were closing in 15 minutes (no way I would make it in time for a delicious greasy slice).

After catching my breath in shade I continued down Harmony Rd to Harp Hill. Then it was time to chug back up Harmony to Coxey Brown Rd up to Gambrill. By the time I made the top of mtn both my bottles were drained and I was drenched but no problem downhill rest of way home. This July has been beautiful but pretty darn warm.

Weekends are for riding

Last weekend I was riding up Shookstown Road (a road in Frederick county running west from town up the mtns). In this section the shoulder narrowed and disappeared. I wasnt paying attention and rode right off the road into drainage ditch, haha. Almost big bummer as I rode right onto a beer bottle and heard it crack under my tire (luckily I was jumping off the seat right as the bottle broke). Also luckily I have kevlar tires. That was too close.

The rest of the ride was nice. I rode out into Washington County into South Mountain State Park. The trees, plants and grass are almost neon green. Thankfully the pollen has died down a bit allowing me to breathe. When out riding for 5 hours I really need to breathe.

Lately Ive been letting my mind drift as I ride. One minute Im concentrating on hammering the pedals and next minute Im wondering if Ill eat pizza when home. I spend a lot of time trying to imagine Frederick county during the late 1800's. Our row house was built in 1886. The town of Frederick existed and lots of farms surrounding town were here also. Its easy to loose myself daydreaming on some of the quiet lonely mountain roads.

Cant wait to get the ride tuned. Last week I upgraded my helmet. Shoot wish I had done that earlier. The new lid is great and vents very well. Also I was getting embarrassed by the ancient one I'd been wearing forever. Next will be new brake pads, and maybe a new seat. Then pretty soon I gotta break down and get clipless pedals and shoes with cleats. Ive avoided these for a couple years. At first I was really uncomfortable about clipping feet to the pedals. Thought for sure I would just fall right over. Now Im much more comfortable in the saddle and feel like Im losing power wearing my addidas. All in good time.

progress, well kind of...

I still remember my 2 favorite bikes, a schwin scrambler with mag wheels (had it for like a day before was stolen from school bball courts) and my schwin varsity (loved that bike sooo much - it was a beast). But my Trek is a monster and works like a champ. So by last July I had been riding a few times a week for over a year and was getting comfortable. Shifting was working out well. I was getting good at climbing and was trying to spend all free time riding.

Then after my 40th bday I was tested. On a beautiful summer afternoon I went out for some climbing. After cresting hill I turned towards home. On way down hill I got a bit of speed. Week prior I had Wheelbase adjust my bars - dropping them as low as possible so I could get more aero. As Im cruising down Hamburg rd I was feelin good and let speed get up. Hamburg is winding 1 and 1/2 lane tree lined mtn road. I came around a long corner maybe a bit too quick. While still in turn I looked ahead and saw a Vette pullinig around a cyclist climbing hill towards me. I tried to drift wide, but I was hard on brakes and ended up eating gravel. It only seemed like I touched ground for a split second. I hopped up and noticed other cyclist and driver were huddled around me. Cyclist eyes were HUGE as he told me - "I thought you were in the tree for sure." Other driver was really worried. I was pissed cuz looked like my bike took it hard. Then I noticed i couldnt feel my finger and it was bent all strange. Other cyclist said I dislocated it and he got real strange look on face when he saw my back. Weird cuz i couldnt feel anything other than I was SOOO HOT.

I thanked both guys and apologized for goin way too fast for the road. I hopped on bike and bolted outta there. When I got to level ground I pulled over and called for the team car, oh wait I mean I called wife to come get me. haha. I was carried away there for sec.

Long story short, only dislocated 1 finger but was able to see bones in my back from the hole i cut above my hip. Those damn things took freaking forever to heal up. But Im happy to report that White Lightnin was a beast and absorbed nothing worse than a flesh wound - some tape scrape.

Funniest part of that 40th bday present which I got myself - road rash - was that the day before fateful ride I was sure my descending skills were spot on. Hmmm in retrospect I could have been more in control. Ok - a bit of an understatement.

Since I had to let finger, and hip heal I was off bike for a bit. But I tried using this time to get core strength in better shape. I couldnt do pushups or pullups for a bit so I concentrated on doing plank - isometric stuff. Great idea. Then when I was back on bike I felt more in control of both bike and my body when riding. Im still amazed how little time I need to spend doing isometric stuff daily to maintain. Proof that if you really take care of body it will function correctly.

Well thats all I can take - its way to nice out to be sit here type. late

So it begins

A few years ago I went to Wheelbase Bikes downtown interested in new parts for my mtn bike. Wheelbase is a little shop on Market St, main drag, of Frederick's Historic district. I wasnt able to find the parts I wanted, but I did find a "new" bike. Classic move - dont buy what you need, get what you want. After confirming I could make the bike a "birthday present" I returned to Wheelbase chomping at the bit to ride.

After getting "white lightning" adjusted by the mechanics I was cleared for take off. The Trek 1.2 was a total steal, bought it used for almost half its retail price new. Totally love at 1st sight/ ride. For the 1st few months I was content riding laps around the Historic district. I sought out a couple nice small climbs in town and raced from home around the city and back. Then I went to Jackson Hole Wyoming. And it all changed.

While in Tetons my cousin, wife and myself rented bikes and cruised out. Half way into the ride I couldnt catch my breath. Then I could hardly press the pedals. Whew - I limped back to bike rental shop and collapsed. Of course my wife and cousin had a blast. Never understood if it was the elevation or my lack of cardiovascular health. But what a wake up call - thought I was in shape and was blasted back to reality. I left Wyoming dying to get on MY bike.

Once home I began to stretch my riding. On Frederick County map I found smaller roads winding into Catoctin Mtns west of town. Perfection. So I packed my riding shorts pockets with iphone, granola bar, and couple bucks, grabbed water bottle and busted a move. I still remember the 1st ride up the hills on Hamburg road. I never had been good at shifting gears when riding and was now wishing I knew which gear lever to shift - cuz the hills were turning into mountains. I kept head down and fought the pedals up a nice section of steepness. As I crested the peak I felt strong and accomplished then I saw the road ahead went up a LOT more. A couple deep breaths and I saw a couple riders coming up behind. I slowed and watched as they sailed effortlessly by. I never caught up to those riders, I also never shifted, but I did make it to the top of Hamburg road. The climbing was not fun but I was hooked. No idea why I was hooked on something I didnt consider fun...

I kept crushing Hamburg road every weekend. Little by little I found myself able to go up the mtn quicker. One ride I finally decided to downshift since it was supposed to make climbing easier. Of course I downshifted on a very steep section and WHAMMO - chain came off! Nothing takes mind off hurting legs and lungs like both hands totally covered in grease. Lesson learned - when shifting pay attention to the amount of force being used on pedals.

So I was now climbing and shifting and loving it. The winter climbs were hard and taught me the value of good gear. Next post will be about last July and a fall