One Last Dance

Pretty amazing stuff for New Year's Eve Day! Cloudy and wet, sure. But it was touching 50 degrees today so somehow, despite being up against the clock I got my butt out there and rode for one final time in 2010.

15 miles/5 laps of my Elm Grove crit course. Funny thing is, I rode it like I meant it today because I only had a window of time to get it accomplished in, meaning I did it at 15 mph average...not bad for this time of year!

The ice on the pond is letting go...

The snow is all gone, as was any fear of hitting a patch of ice or black ice along the road. No, this had more of the feel of a ride in late March on a pretty decent spring day. Yet it's December 31st.

By the third lap I actually undid the top of my outer shell because it felt like I was building up too much body heat inside. Who would ever think that!

And no booties today either...
There is actually some bare skin down there with my knickers on.

And I heard a robin singing at one point in the ride today too. All I could think was to tell it, "Fly away fast my feathered friend...this warm weather ain't gonna last!"

So in the end I rode right up until the final day of the year, and my 2010 miles total is now final at 2,849.

Whaaa? An outdoor ride?

The combination of sunshine, 35 degrees, basically clear roads and a little free time in the afternoon was too tempting, even if it is December 29th. So I aired up my third-string bike (Trek FX7500 with Spartacus wheels), dug out my winter riding clothes and actually got one more ride in for 2010!

I managed to turn five laps on my Elm Grove crit course today. That means a 15-mile ride before I have even started to think about the new season's diet and workout regime beginning after the first of the year.

It felt a little funny being out there, and you can tell drivers are not used to seeing riders this time of year. In an area with very little traffic on my way back home a guy in a BMW actually slid it on gravel hitting the brakes hard at an uncontrolled intersection. He didn't see me, but I had a bead on him all along, figuring he'd do exactly what he did.

I guess my defensive riding senses are still sharp despite this being the off season for riding.

It's supposed to be in the 40's Thursday and Friday. Too bad it is also supposed to be raining...but you never know!

SEASON MILES: 2,834

Italian Christmas

So it was an Italian Christmas in more ways than one this year.

As usual, my wife and I were part of the annual Italian feast with her family. Also as usual, I feel I have put on 10 pounds already and still eating my way through the kitchen each day.

What's not usual is that this year, not unlike my entire riding season, there was a little less emphasis on cycling. In fact, there was but one cycling-related gift given to me this Christmas, a beautiful "Italy" riding jersey. I opened the gift on Christmas morning and it made me smile and think of my roots as a cyclist, dreaming of warmer days that now seem like they will be years away.

But for one more week I am anything but a cyclist. I'm a regular guy who is eating way too much but enjoying every minute of that as well.

After the first of the new year the trainer will be set up in the basement and I will devise a regular schedule of weekly rides.

The cookies, candy, dips, pasta, sweets will all be put on the shelf for at least two months. 

I'll get myself a new training log to help with my motivation and then the hard work of January, February and March will begin, as the holiday weight comes off and my legs slowly get worked back into some sort of shape anyway.

It all leads to the next big holiday and how cycling is a part of it. It seems my annual cycling 'coming out' party is usually marked by some sort of early outdoors ride of substance on Easter weekend.

So look for what will probably be a rather dull couple of months here as I at least log trainer workouts. I only write it down here because it does motivate me somewhat to get it done, knowing I have to leave this blank if I don't get on the bike!

Happy New Year and lets hope 2011 finds us safe and with plenty of tailwind.

                                     

Early trainer

Broke one of my own rules today. I hit the trainer before the first of the new year. This is supposed to be a no-exercise zone until after New Year's Eve. But I have been eating so much as of late and I had the time and desire to hit it, so I set up the trainer and did ten miles today.

It felt rather odd being on the trainer while Christmas decorations are up. I do not think that has ever been the case for me before.

But I felt good about burning a few calories anyway.

Now, back to the holiday eating and laziness.
That is all...

My Top Five Rides of 2010

Season's Greetings!
Here in the depths of my time away from cycling I eat and be lazy and enjoy.

But as is my tradition as 2010 winds down, I like to post my list of my top five rides of the past season, a season that saw fewer miles for me but no less fun for sure.

So here they are, my favorite five rides...and the number one ride of the year comes as a total surprise, to even me!



#5 The Madone Mike Ride- 
Much of the season had already gone by when this ride finally happened, and I guess that is part of what made it special. Back in the depths of winter while working out on the trainer in my basement I posted a PhilCast podcast show of nothing more than me on the bike going through my Carmichael 45-minute routine. 

A PhilCast listener named Mike heard the show and sent me an email. He explained how much he enjoyed hearing the unique show. He went on to tell me how he couldn't wait to try it himself, but wait he must. You see his doctor told him he needed to put on more weight before starting more serious training. He was coming back from cancer treatments. I mailed him back promising that we would ride together this season...to hang in there and fight the good fight meantime.


Well, time slipped by and for one reason or another we did not hook up until late in the season. I knew I had to keep my promise. I knew that my riding season would not be complete and that I would kick myself if I let him and myself down by not being a man of my word.


But late in the season we hooked up for a ride. We rode much longer than anticipated, ending up going out to Wales and back on a sunny day. We chatted for much of the ride on the way out, then got busy on the ride home. But me, not having training in my legs, suffered some nasty cramping for about the last 10 miles of the 40-something mile ride. I was off the gas, but it didn't matter. The ride was being put in the books. A promise kept.



#4 My Second Solo Century Ride- 
I always thought that an accomplishment as big as this one would merit being high on this list, perhaps even number one. Yet somehow, the sheer physical accomplishment it represents for me doesn't hold up to the rides that had a high emotional factor for me. A solo century is a very personal thing. It's you, the bike, the road, and perhaps most-importantly your will to keep going.


This day I rode out to my lake place where I re-fuel in a short stop and then head back, trying to pace myself and my food and water consumption for the long haul. I remember the biggest issue with this ride came at the end. Round-trip out there and back showed 80 miles on my computer. Drat. I knew this was coming. I had to ride past my house and put 20 miles on to hit the magic number. Those were tough miles, especially the last 10 or so. Never have I seen an odometer turn so slowly. 


But in the end I was able to grind it out, an all-day affair that finally clicked over to a 100-mile ride, the second solo century of my riding career.




#3 The PhilCast Group Ride- 
In the end this ride is what cycling is supposed to be all about isn't it? Fun. We gathered a couple dozen riders of all levels, from hammers to beginners to ride through the countryside on a beautiful summer afternoon. My wife Sandy led a group of listeners on a shorter route while I led a group on a slightly-longer route. Afterward we all gathered for lunch and stories outside at Backyard Bikes in LaGrange. Great day all around.



#2 The Lois Dedication Ride- 
This should have been #1. Never ever did I think that any ride could top this one, a ride that had it all really. I packed my bike and gear and took it on an annual trip to the Waupaca area where we visit each July for the Iola Old Car Show. That would be on Friday, and this year Saturday would be a day to ride for Lois. No need for details here, but Lois was a long-time good friend who ran an inn where we stayed for years. We attended her funeral in March. Cancer took her from us way too early.


That Saturday was sunny and hot. I watched that morning's stage of the Tour de France and could hardly contain myself as I got ready to take on this dedication ride. I had it in my mind that today I would attempt a solo century in honor of Lois, riding through pine bluff after pine bluff on roads I had never been on before. This was going to be an adventure. Little did I know.


I rode early-on with great emotion. It was as if I could sense Lois in my shadow appreciating my effort and thoughts. At times I had goose-bumps just thinking about the memories of many many summer visits with her on this annual trip.  Sure I had a detailed map I had planned out, but maps lie and about 25 miles in I was lost. No worries, I had a general idea of where I was and would make this work.


I stopped in a small-town tavern to get water and continued on, noticing now that by mid-afternoon there seemed to be some sort of line in the sky in the distance. Was it smoke from a fire? Was it haze. Was it there at all? Yes, it was. As the miles clicked off the line got closer. CRAP...that's a line of storms! It came on fast, going from brilliant hot sunshine to dark nasty clouds. 


Somehow I had the smarts to turn around at one point and head back to another town I had passed through earlier. I knew there would be shelter there, when the path I was on would have none. Winds gusted so hard that several times I heard large limbs snap. I was, for the first time ever, really worried on a bike. Just as some hail pellets started to fall in that wind I could see a gas station on the outskirts of town. I made it safe and sound. The storm unleashed. There was flooding in Waupaca that afternoon and tree limbs down too. 


The new owner of the inn had to drive out and rescue me from the storm. It was not the ending I wanted. It was 50-some miles instead of 100, and a dedication ride with an ending I won't soon forget.




#1 The Chain Ride- 
Never would I have thought THIS would be the number one ride of my season. But here it is, a little non-eventful, routine 26 miles on a route that I have done as training hundreds of times. But this time it really meant something to me.

I had found a worn spot on the rear tire of my Madone. Now, not being one who is any good at changing tires on my own, I just took the rear wheel off and took it over to Rainbow Jersey. It would be a chance to visit my friends there and have them outfit me with a new tire. My personal meltdown came when I got home.

As I began to put the rear wheel on I started to struggle with it. Keep in mind this is a task I have done plenty of times before with no issues. But this time for some reason I struggled. The more I fumbled with the greasy chain the bigger mess I was making, both on me and the bike. My hands were like blocks of wood. The bike seemed to have a mind of its own, twisting and turning to fight me. Then my brain shut down. I tried to envision where things were supposed to be going, but the more I tried the bigger mess I made.

I snapped.

I quit. I literally threw everything down and walked away from the bike in disgust. I was mad at myself. I sent a note to my friend and coach Jerry at Rainbow Jersey explaining what happened. I asked if he could drop over to help me the following week when he had time. It pained me to have to ask that. I felt like an idiot. I felt like I didn't deserve to call myself a cyclist. I really let myself down.

That night I had trouble sleeping. I was really bothered by all this. My bike, a bike I'm now thinking I don't even deserve, was sitting out there all full of grease with no wheel on it. And I'm to blame. All I could do was wait for help like a little baby.

The next day I mustered up the courage (I had thought about attempting it again but told myself, 'who are you kidding') to give it a try again by late afternoon. I couldn't get it out of my brain.

I went into the garage and saw the heap of a mess and really didn't have much hope. Something made me try anyway. I did it. I got the wheel back on. But did I do it right? I went for a test ride at a time when I thought I would never be able to ride this bike until I got help putting it back together.

Everything worked perfectly.

I rode that 26-mile route with an excitement I don't think I have ever felt before. I did it. I didn't need help. I did it!

To this day I have no idea why I blacked out that why. Like I said, I've changed out the rear wheel many times on my own with no issue. When I explained all this to Jerry he simply told me it has even happened to him. He blames age. You just go blank. It's true I guess, because I have no other explanation for what happened.

All I know is the feeling I had on that bike that day after overcoming the whole incident on my own....priceless....and it's my #1 ride of the 2010 season.

Have a great holiday season and the trainer posts will begin here after the first of the year when I get my motivation back to start it all again for 2011.

15 miles on the trainer

I squeezed in 15 miles on the trainer. What would seem like a short, easy ride outside was of course a bit more challenging while indoors.

I usually do not even ride the trainer at this time of year. This is an early start, but a bit of a bonus in the calorie-burning department heading into my favorite holiday of the year Thursday. Can't wait for the family feast.

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving and I'll be posting after the next trainer session of sweat.

Trainer? What?

True dat.
I  actually set up my trainer today. Not only that, I RODE it. Not only that, I rode it for an HOUR! Wow.

Not only that, it was actually nice enough outside to be riding out in the elements, with some sunshine and upper 40's and little wind. The only reason I stayed in was because I was waiting for a couple of phone calls that were coming in and I didn't want to miss them.

So I figured I would set up my winter surroundings in my cycling/recording lounge room in the basement. I've got the Klein set up in a cozy corner, actually facing away from the TV. That's because I usually don't watch TV while riding. I usually end up listening to something.

Once it was set up I decided to go ahead and get a little exercise. Why not? It was nice to be able to do an entire hour, which, in the dead of winter seems like a lot more work than it was today. I must have some leftover fitness in me from the outdoor season.

The annual fade

Now the sky is gray and the wind has a bite to it. Now this looks and feels more like the November I know. Now it's just about time to make the annual bike switch as I make the annual fade from cycling in November.

The bikes are still at the ready, because up until Thanksgiving I believe there might still be a chance of me jumping on one of them for a little exercise out there despite the cold I hate so much.

But as the old song goes, the thrill is gone.

At some point I'll have all my bikes lined up on stands in my basement, just standing at attention alone for a few months down there.

Between Thanksgiving and New Years I do not do anything related to cycling, and I eat what I want. I enjoy the holidays, and then afterward get very bored with the months of January, February and March.

After the new year arrives I will set up the Klein on my trainer and begin to once again think about cycling and losing some weight and getting in shape for spring riding.

But as of right now I still may have a few more miles in these legs in 2010. We shall see.

As we get closer to the end of the year I will be posting my annual top five rides story, when I look back and rank the five most-memorable rides of 2010.

The Voices

FOUR days in a row now out on the road and not even all that cold here in November. It has been quite a week.

25 miles on Sunday.
40 miles on Monday.
20 miles on Tuesday.
30 miles on Wednesday.

Today I did my Minooka route, which includes some climbing of course. Ouch. On sore legs that are already tired this week from a lack of training, the hills hurt today.

Then on the way in I was really getting worn out by the constant wind off the lake in my face. It made things a little cool, but in my heart of hearts I know we are on the brink of being trapped inside for months, meaning I would kill to be able to ride outside in a little cool wind like today.

Who says you can't see horses on an urban ride?

I do kind of feel bad for some of my fellow riders who would love to be out here with me taking advantage of a nice, mild November day on a bike. But alas, jobs get in the way and darkness comes early now as the clock ticks to Thanksgiving.

So that very thought is part of what fueled me to quit my whining on the way back.

Now, what's with the voices?

Well, that's the funny part of today's ride...my story of the day for you. While waiting to cross Calhoun there must have been some riders coming up on me from behind. Shortly after I crossed and started that long stretch to Springdale on the New Berlin Trail I swore I heard voices behind me.

With visions of it being that Beans & Barley rider I wrote about earlier this week and some riding bud of his, I, for whatever reason, decided to go hard tempo too make them work to pass me.

I dropped the Madone into the big ring while I myself dipped into a tuck in the drops and held a steady 90-93 rpm while turning 22's. I just kept going on that long stretch. At one point I thought about turning my head back to check because I hadn't heard a thing back there. Come to think of it, did I ever REALLY hear anything at all. Maybe I was doing all this for nothing. I should shoot a quick glance back. But wait, if they WERE back there then I'd be giving them 'the LOOK' and I really didn't want to send the message that I'm an ass up here!

Onward. Just keep going at this pace. So what if no one was ever back there...you've just motivated yourself to ride harder today then...that's what I told myself.

I made it to Springdale and eased up, pulled over and took a drink. Wanna guess where I looked first?

Indeed, there were two riders a pretty far way back coming toward me now. I was NOT hearing things back there. But as they got closer my bubble was burst. 

No, I had not dropped Beans & Barley dude. I had dropped a man and a woman, rec riders out enjoying the afternoon. 

What a stud I am huh?

I had to laugh at myself.

No ride Thursday. The last of the pre-winter yard chores are calling before the weather goes back into the dumpster this weekend.

Season Miles: 2,819

Parkway Expedition

First of all it should be noted that today's ride on the 10th of November was completed with bare legs. Yes, it was nice but it did start to turn cooler in the middle of the ride. The wind picked up and it is coming off Lake Michigan. I was a little under-dressed on top with just a long-sleeved jersey.

I ended up just doing a little exploratory in a different direction today. Reader and riding bud 'Der Jan' had mentioned to me Sunday night at the PhilCast Packer party that I should try to head north on the Oak Leaf instead of south.

I used to take that a few years ago, but it left me unfulfilled really, an ugly-ass bumpy stretch into Hansen Park was just too crappy to deal with. As I rode it today I found nothing has changed. Craptastic.

First parkway....Underwood, where I see that the old tennis courts I used to play on are now gone. I had no clue.

I know somehow I used to head north on parkway #2, the Menomonee River Parkway, but today I got turned around and stumbled to the east I believe. This entire ride I was sort of lost the entire time, yet still knew the general area I was in.

I rode past where the Tosa farmer's market is held and took in the great smells from Cafe Hollander. At one point I saw Jacobus Park and Doyne Park. Parkway #3 was the Honeycreek Parkway. When it appeared I was going to head into the Valley I turned around and found my way home. I had had enough of that cold wind off the lake in my face.

On the way back I was on a trail that went right behind the Hart Park tennis courts, which brought back a lot of memories from warmer days past. I can remember some great battles on hot summer mornings with Len Kasper on those courts. We used to play in the mornings before going into work. I got him into tennis and as a regular player beat him quite often at the start. As he got better I stayed the same and his youth and strength got the best of me. By the end of our playing days he was the one beating me most often on those courts.

Bare legs though. Wow, what great weather...and it is supposed to continue Wed.

Season Miles: 2,789

November?

What beautiful weather for the 8th of November. And I took full advantage too, despite being buried in work I made sure to just stop and hit the road by noon today. 40 miles later I have a couple stories for you.

Today I wanted to do lunch in...

 Wales of course! That would mean a pretty long ride for me considering I have not been on the bike doing any training the past month. But with weather that was sunny and low 60's at this time of year I was going to go for it with all I had.

I did my lunch there, my face being warmed by the brilliant sunshine as I sat at a picnic table.

The PB&J never tasted better than today either. The food was some welcome fuel after a hard-fought ride to get out there.

There were two kinds of pain on this ride today, the good kind and the bad kind. I experienced the good kind on the way out. While waiting in the middle of Moorland to cross I heard a squeaky noise behind me and suddenly there he went, a roadie sporting a Beans and Barley racing kit went sprinting through the intersection despite the fact that a couple of cars were coming toward us at a pretty good clip. I waited because there were no cars behind these two, and I have been trying to be a good ambassador for the sport. This dude should have waited too. That is the kind of stuff that makes a bad name for all of us with drivers.

Anyway, for some unknown reason after I crossed I decided that despite the fact that I had a long way to go I was going to pick up the pace and see if I could catch this guy. Why? Not sure. He was there. I was behind him by about a block.

I started in on making a big effort to close the gap. I was not gaining by much at all on the chase to Calhoun. Now, Calhoun to Springdale is a long stretch on the New Berlin trail and this would be where I would give it my all. I was going between 21.7 and 23.3 the entire time and hardly gaining. Chest heaving. Lungs pumping. Legs aching. I'd jump in and out of the saddle in the drops just to try to maintain enough to close the gap. Meantime this younger, stronger, faster kid looked like he was hardly making an effort to do this.

I would drop off a bit to recover, then try again. At one point, with snot now freely flying out of my nose and my body moving all over the machine I must have looked like a raving madman. I remember hardly having enough breath to say to myself out loud, "Oh God."

I lost him heading into the Waukesha industrial area. It was not to be today. Then heading into town he passed me going the other way after having turned around ahead. I gave a slight nod to him and kept going.

That's the GOOD pain of the ride.

After my lunch I enjoyed taking it easy on the way back to Waukesha, knowing I would be tired. Little did I know how bad that would become.

Going up the hill at Carroll College my quads started to cramp. Within a mile the threat of bad cramps turned into reality. Now the entire muscle on the inside of my left thigh running down to my knee was knotting up. If this has ever happened to you then you know what kind of crazy pain this is. You can't ride if it gets bad enough.

I babied it for a pretty good stretch, rubbing my hands into my legs and pounding the knotting muscles in an attempt to ward off a complete lockup. It happened with only three miles to go when I went up a slight uphill at Greenfield Park golf course. My leg got so bad I had to hop off the bike and get control of myself.

Needless to say it was tricky getting home the rest of the way. And needless to say, this is the BAD pain of the ride. But then again, how bad can anything be when the sun is out and it's 63 degrees on November 8th in Milwaukee and I'm out riding!

Season Miles: 2,769

Bustling November Sunday

For November 7th this was some pretty darned nice weather to ride in. With the Packers playing Sunday night that meant the stars were lined up for me to get back on my bike for the first time in a while. The 2010 season isn't quite done yet.


You what else isn't done yet?
The construction in the Root River Parkway. These guys should be ashamed! I've never seen a road project that took so long to complete. This thing has been torn up for most of the summer, and neither the bridge to Loomis nor the road to Whitnall Park are open yet.


So I rode the detours and did a lap at Botanical. Just 25 miles, but you have to start somewhere. Looks like it will be even warmer on Monday and Tuesday, so if my schedule permits I'll get out there both days.


Everyone and his uncle was out there today, from walkers and riders to families working in their yards. This mild start to November is a blessing. Lets hope the forecast is right for this week.




Season Miles: 2,729

New shop and nice weather

Hey cycling fans, just a quick check-in note today on a couple of items...

1. In case you didn't know, the new Trailside Cycles bike shop along the New Berlin Trail is now open. I stopped in this week to take a look. Owner Hans is still setting things up, but it looks like it will be a welcome addition in a great location for those of us who use that east-west path.

2. Forecast looks great for getting in a few November rides this coming week. Sunshine and 60! I have not been on a trainer yet and the bikes are still ready to go outside. Looks like a ride Sunday and Monday will be possible for me. I have some new booties to break in, given to me for my birthday back in August. I don't really enjoy riding in the colder weather with layers on, but I DO think it is still better than doing a half hour on the trainer in the basement!

Checking in

Just checking in on the cycling front...no, I have not been on any rides since the last post here. First we had the giant wind storms and then for the first time in over a year I got slammed with a nasty head cold that I am still dealing with as I write this.

Although November is upon us I have still not given up on the outdoor season. The Madone remains at the ready and the trainer is still buried in the basement. I figure there will be at least a few more cold-weather rides yet this season.

When the bike is put away for winter that is when the trainer comes out. But before that time it's my true off-season of eating, another favorite past time. From Thanksgiving through New Year's there is very little riding and a whole lot of eating going on. Then I start heading down the road to getting in shape after the new year arrives.





 

Bare legs

If I were a  betting man I would have lost this one. I would have thought my days of riding with bare legs this season were over. Yet there I was today with bare legs battling the west wind. I was able to get 25 miles in and for once seemed to hit the best part of the day.


Sun, as I have said a hundred times here, makes all the difference in the world to me. Mid-morning as I did some errands it was cloudy and windy and not all that warm outside.


But by the time I got home the sun was out and the temp was up to just over 60. I changed in a hurry as soon as I got home and hit the road heading south to avoid most of the gusting wind.


Clouds have returned as I type this up, but it is still warm enough to be sitting out on the screen porch. Nice!


Despite the fact that I did an extended lap in Whitnall, I have yet to see any deer this week. Usually that's a given in there this time of year.


And I got my new sunglasses back today, the ones I use for riding. They took the polarization out of them. It was cutting too much vision for me on the bike and making the reading of my computer readout difficult at times. Today things looked much better.


Another sign that the first snow flakes won't be far off...
County workers today stacking up picnic benches in the parkway.

Season Miles: 2,729

Winds of change

It is without a doubt one of most sure signs that the end of my outdoor riding season draws near. And at some point over a 24-hour span it happened.


On Monday as I rode past the classic Milwaukee bubbler in Greenfield Park I stopped to take a photo, preparing myself for the inevitable change that would be coming. But little did I know that 24 hours later the change had been made. Good thing I took THIS photo Monday...

There she is in all her glory. I believe they sell T-shirts with a picture like this on them. 


It doesn't get any more classic bubbler than this bad boy.


But by Tuesday's ride to my surprise there it was...


What was once a bubbler for the glorious months of summer had now turned into THIS...

...nothing more than a useless pipe with a snow marker attached to it. That's right, winter now can not be far behind in my book.


As soon as the old bubbler goes from water to red and white stick the end of the riding season is near.


Now, all the snot today from the cold wind (and where was the sun again during this short 20-miles today) might have been a pretty good hint that winter is nearing as well.


Today I rode on the New Berlin Trail just out to Springdale and back. By the time I got there I was sick and tired of hearing the west wind whistling in my ears so I turned around and headed home.


I've taken a new approach on snot as well. Fascinating, I know. Rather than a messy farmer blow or the constant wipe with my gloved hands I have taken to inhaling all of it into my throat and just spitting it out. Seemed to work for me today.


Another new twist as well...
I added a little apple cider to top off my usual mix in a water bottle. It was a nice taste of fall on the ride.

Season Miles: 2,704

The car always wins

Odd little ride today. I headed out on what was a promising, sunny and just a little cool autumn afternoon. About 5-6 miles into this thing black clouds took over and it looked more like November out there as I headed into Whitnall Park. Yes, the road from the parkway is still out! Detour time to get to Botanical gardens. Why in the hell it takes months for a small road to be repaired is beyond me.


Anyway, the car does always win. I did a lap up barn Hill and circled around to head out of the park...too cold and damp and dank to go much more than the 26 miles I did.


But at 92nd I saw what I thought was the car of a former boss of mine, one of the good ones actually!


I did a U-turn and gave chase for some reason. Game on. Now somewhere deep down inside I knew this move was as stupid as when my dog Gabby tries to chase a squirrel up a tree. The squirrel can climb..."You'll never get the squirrel," I tell her on our walks. Well you never get the car either, not when you are the one on the bike.


But I gave chase and kept him in my sights for a couple of blocks. That all ended in a hurry when his car disappeared up a steep hill near the Wehr Nature Center. I was dropped and headed back to my usual route home.


26 miles in books with no shortage of snot to show for it. It's a start to a week I hope will see me out there several days.


Season Miles: 2,684

Duty called

As it turned out, Sunday was a pretty darned nice autumn day for around these parts. I am sure many of my fellow riders made the right choice today and hit the road for some exercise. I on the other hand made the wrong choice. I stayed inside to watch the Green Bay Packers lose in OT for the second week in a row.

Now, in my defense to some degree, it was in fact duty calling. Come Monday morning I have to record a Pack Yak segment for my internet talk show the PhilCast. So in a way I was working, obligated to know what I am talking about when I break down the game on the show.

By 3:30 I guess I could have jumped on a bike to ride for at least a little bit while it was still light out there. But no, being the NFL geek I am I wanted to also watch the double-header game featuring Brett Favre and Vikings against Tony Romo and the Cowboys.

I am somewhat conflicted at this time of year because my beloved NFL is on, while my thirst for riding has pretty much been quenched for the season. When the temp is low and the clouds are heavy it is a no-brainer for me not to ride. But I feel bad on days like today when it seems like I let good weather slip away from me just like the Packers let that game slip away from them.

Krunchers

I don't eat much junk food at all, especially during riding season. But if there is one snack that I go crazy over it's these...Sweet Hawaiian Krunchers.

There was about a half-full bag of these bad boys in our kitchen, a leftover from a weekend party. I knew they were there just calling my name last night when I sat down to watch good old Brett Favre and the Vikings on Monday Night Football.


Two bottles of water later I had finished every last crumb in that bag. 


I'm not sure what it is about these things but I literally just can not stop eating them. Good thing they aren't around the house much.


But these chips fueled my desire to get out on the bike today to at least burn off a few of the calories I packed on last night before bed.


A more-rare east wind was blowing off Lake Michigan today, so despite the sunshine and mild temps I probably could have worn arm warmers today. It was a bit chilly at times.


I rode out to Waukesha and back on the New Berlin trail, not having any sort of big effort in me today. 23 miles and a hot shower and I'm set for a while now.


I have to tape a TV show with Tim Cuprisin on Wednesday. I have to go meet the carpet cleaners in the afternoon on Thursday. And I head out on Friday for a weekend getaway to celebrate my wife's birthday. Bottom line--not riding for a while again as the season winds down.

Season Miles: 2,658

Barn art

What a beautiful weekend!
With a ton of work and a great summer-like BBQ in the books on Saturday, I finished up a few jobs at the lake house Sunday and then took a short ride to a nearby barn which was taking place in a studio art tour today.

Sandy on her Bianchi and me on the Klein for a final time together out on country roads. When we got there we ditched the bikes in some trees and walked around inside to view the work of some local artists.

Just six miles total and then it was back at the lake house to see the depressing finale for the Packers. I'm sure glad I didn't waste an entire afternoon inside watching that loss!


Season Miles: 2,635

Five for five

Mission accomplished. Mini goal met. Today I rode for the fifth straight day, knowing in my heart that I was able to take full advantage of the freakishly-nice autumn weather.

It was warmer and more windy today than the others, but so what on the wind! That sky. Those colors.

Well I figured I better take a picture of a tree today with that brilliant blue sky background. It may never look that nice again until next June! November rides usually have some of the ugliest sky conditions of all. Not today though...what a drop-dead beautiful day. 

I climbed up my old friend "Barn Hill" while doing a lap in Whitnall Park today. No time for more because I had to pack up for the weekend.

But I felt good today out there, my legs much more fresh than Thursday. I also feel good about the fact that I was able to get on the bike for the five days in a row I was going for.

Next up, perhaps a nice slow ride with Sandy out in the country on Sunday. Then it will be time to bring the backup bike, the Klein, home from the lake house and into my basement where it will wait to be called into action in spring when the roads are still messy. Before you know it it will be time to inflate the tires on the old Trek on the trainer for indoor workouts after the calendar clicks over to 2011. But that can wait. I've got plenty of time to still enjoy riding outside in 2010.

Season Miles: 2,629

Surprisingly emotional ride

One of the great things about the sport of cycling is the fact that on any given day you never quite know what adventure is just waiting for you down the road as you roll out of the driveway.

Today I had good intentions, to ride to Wales and back, putting on a few more miles than the three previous days as I work to make my goal of riding five days in a row this week.

I struggled into a west wind early. For much of the first five or six miles all I could think about was when I would turn around and cut this short. My legs were heavy from Wednesday's climbing. The wind made it seem more chilly than yesterday despite warm sunshine on my face.

I took a picture to inform those of you who ride the New Berlin Trail that the construction is making progress and soon we'll have our smooth crossing at Calhoun Road. 

I joked with one of the workers who gave me some grief, teasing me about the path being closed. Of course it wasn't, but I decided this would make a good turning point. There was no way I felt like riding into that west wind all the way to Wales today.

And so I headed back the same way I came, feeling a little disappointed in myself for not doing more out there on such a nice day. Unsure of what was to come next, I glanced at Highland Park Cemetery on my left, a place I have ridden past many times on this and other routes. It is the place where my grandparents, who raised me, are buried. I had not been there in years.

For some reason I stopped on the path and cut across the grass to get to the cemetery. Slowly I rode around trying to remember exactly where my grandparents' plot was. Several times I thought I had found it, walking my bike over plot after plot searching. But alas the more I tried the more lost I became.

Not one to give up easily, I rode to the office and asked a lady to look it up for me. She obliged and handed me a map. Those of you who know me know handing me a map is like handing a blind man the keys to a car. Even with the map it took me several more spins around the place, both on and off the bike, as my search continued.

At one point the sound of a nearby train horn cut through the crisp autumn air. Significant because at that moment I was awaiting one of those spine-tingling incidents when the dead reach out to communicate with you. You see, I remember my grandma once telling me that she loved the sound of a train because it made her think about just getting on board and being swept away to some far away and exotic place. To this day I think of her when I hear a train horn. 

Too bad there was no magical moment. I looked around while I listened to the train and saw Johnstons, Weelars, Millers...but no grandma and grandpa yet. Perhaps that stuff only happens in Hollywood.

Finally I put two and two together on the map and found their section. And yes, I finally found where they are buried. I laid my Madone down on their grave and cleared away some of the overgrown grass from the marker.

 

For some reason it felt right to put my bottle down there too for the picture. My grandpa would get a kick out of my riding now. I can still see him sitting on the front porch of our house in West Allis, his feet up on the railing and a cool drink on the table as he waited for me to come back from a run. He always thought my running was such a waste of energy. "Why don't you use some of that energy to cut the grass," he'd say. But deep down I know he understood my training. It used to drive me crazy when I would come back from a hard three-mile effort and he'd look at his watch and say, "about 20 minutes on that one."

Well, ask any runner who is doing a timed three miles and ABOUT anything is a four-letter word. Didn't he understand that fractions of seconds meant the world to me?

As I stood there looking silly I suppose in my funny shoes and spandex, I remembered that somewhere down there is a gold watch. Nothing fancy mind you, just a Timex that I had given him for Father's Day. You would have thought I gave him a Rolex the way he smiled and put it on that day.

He died five days later.

Sometimes in the rat race that is our day-to-day lives we forget things we should never forget. Today I remembered.

Season Miles: 2,604

Just Farting Around

Day 3: Due to a little later start than I wanted and just enough of a west wind to make things interesting, I canned my idea of riding west all the way to Wales today in favor of a climbing workout. So it was 30 miles with no shortage of all types of climbs on my Minooka Dog Park route today.

The title of this post goes to something I saw on a cool old truck for sale, just sitting in the leaves waiting to be restored by someone.

And the writing on the door reads...

I love it. "Just Farting Around"
I must admit that going into the wind on the way out today, combined with the climbing on Guthrie, Beeheim and others drained my legs pretty quick today. I ride up to the dog park even though it is a dead-end up there because I want to include that long climb to the park. It hurts as you keep going up and then right at the end it spikes up short and steep, stinging your legs with each stroke. Once up there the view is quite nice, with dogs and owners all having a good time.

Now, coming back you can approach the long, slightly downhill but mostly flat section of the New Berlin trail east from Calhoun to Greenfield Park in one of two ways. If you are tired after a long hard ride then this can be a chance to simply mail it in and enjoy yourself during recovery.


If on the other hand you are doing a shorter route like I was today, well then you grab a big gear and use all that tailwind to your advantage as you crank out some hot pace in there. That's what I did today. These are great little practice sessions that teach your body how to make that kind of higher effort for a stretch. You never know when you might need that in a group ride some day. Just push yourself to ride at a pace that is above your normal tempo. Breathing is tough. Legs start barking. You could sit up and take it easier but you do not. You stay in the drops pumping it out crank by crank all the way.


It feels good when you're done with a little run like that too.


Maybe Thursday I'll get to Wales and back.

Detour leads to a dead end

Day Two: The quest to ride five days in a row took me into some new territory today due to construction. My routes heading south are messed up because the Root River Parkway road approaching Whitnall Park is still out.

Today I thought I would try to wind my way around it to get down to Franklin because when they said...

...they meant it!

So I took 92nd rather than head into the park at that point. This route takes you past the Whitnall golf course and also the archery range (should I have been worried around there)? It was pretty, with no shortage of leaves starting their autumn dance into full color. It was still a little nippy into the wind in the shade, but nice and mild in the sun with a slight tailwind.


Eventually I was spit out into a residential area with some really nice houses. Of course these type roads almost always end up with me at a dead-end cul-du-sac, which was the case today.


I made my way back and into the park for a lap up "Barn Hill", drafting a school bus up the climb!

At first it was fun. Then the bus dropped me about half way up the hill. I decided to head back, sort of pacing myself and my legs for riding every day this week if I can. 25 miles Monday and 30 miles Tuesday and that felt just about right for today.


I think I'll change things up and head west on Wednesday. An appointment came up, but it should not stop me from hitting the road by early afternoon, and it is supposed to be a little warmer on Wednesday too.


That's just fine with this cold-weather weenie.


Season: 2,557 miles

Setting mini goals

Could those who forecast the weather for a living actually be right this time around? I hope so. They're saying sunshine all week long, with each day a little bit warmer than the previous one. 

Looking at my schedule it seems like perhaps I could ride each day this week, Monday through Friday if this forecast holds. So I set a little goal for myself. We'll see if I can pull it off. A ride for five days a week at this time of year would be sweet.

I feel like I have really been drifting from riding here at the end of the season, and the eating season seems to have begun early. The eating season begins at Thanksgiving and runs through the start of the new year. As for October, it's still time to ride my friends.

I wanted to see if the Root River Parkway road was still out heading into Whitnall Park. It is. So I headed into the park via 84th/Gardenway and did a lap up Barn Hill before heading back.

The snotty nose is a constant reminder that indeed, fall is in the air. I simply spun and took it easy today, trying to just ease back into it.

Afterward my tri-athlete bud Rich had left a Park Tool at my place, which I needed to tighten up my second bottle cage on the Madone. I'm thinking I'll need it as the week wears on the rides grow longer.

Little goals help to motivate.
Check back to see if I can get a ride in M-F this week.

Season: 2,527 miles

A new season, a new blog

The winds of change were certainly in the air on the bike on Saturday. The north wind nipping at my face reminded me that this riding season is slowly coming to an end.

But fall can be a short but spectacular time to ride. And I feel like turning a page now, a page to this new blog.

I have been reading about the adventures of Team Radio Shack's Matthew Busche of Wauwatosa, now concluding his first season with the pros in Europe.
I notice that he and most other pros who blog about training do not get hung up on all the stats that we rec riders seem to.

So this blog is going to be more about the ride and the experience and the stories that go along with each adventure as opposed to how many miles or how fast (or in my case slow) I went.

I know some of my readers follow along with my seasonal miles total to somewhat pace themselves compared to what I am doing on the bike. So with that in mind I guess I will try to end each post-ride post with a few numbers, including the season total for miles.

I think people like pictures too, so I will try to include more of them in the posts.

And in the off-season I'll still post cycling story links here along with the rap on those dull trainer sessions too.

Saturday's ride was out to Waukesha and back...just 22 miles.

Season: 2,502 miles