April 2011 Summary

Though I didn't write in my blog for the last three months, I did microblog about cycling on Facebook and Twitter. Here's a summary of April activities:

In April I started a weekly family bike ride, which heads out on Saturdays at 10:30 from our house. This has been loads of fun for all, the kids all get along nicely with each other, and it's hard to beat the snack options at the Farmers Market.

My friend Bruce joined me for part of this ride. Warmer days meant longer rides and hillier terrain.

I was so eager to get back to the Tuesday Night Races. No one else showed up, so I rode through some pretty intense conditions. 

Still working on form after a long winter.

We participated in the annual cleanup of the Waterfront Trail. We're loving the Phase 3 section of the trail between the Farmers Market and Stewart Park, and were happy to help.

Who knew that bladed spokes could cause a bike to be so unstable? I really thought that I'd be pushed right off the bike at the crest of Snyder Hill Rd.

I naively thought that the cold, rainy days would soon be over...

Longest ride of the year to this point.

Frozen Dairy Frenzy

Ithaca's winter 2010-11 will go down in history as one of the most real and stubborn seasons in a while, if perceptions are indeed accurate. After experiencing many Buffalo winters that challenged its' citizens to the core, I felt positively coddled by the relatively tropical Ithaca winters, that is until now. The big differences between these two locales are the cold winds coming off of frozen Lake Erie and the sudden, massive lake effect snowstorms. I remember all the wear and tear on the paint and the decking on our front porch resulting from driving snow, rain and mixed precipitation, and I must have replaced the storm door closing hardware four times in six years. Portions of the decking needed to be replaced frequently, much like weather-beaten homes on the coast of Maine, and if you didn't keep on top of exterior maintenance, you really paid a price. Meanwhile, Ithaca winters, at least in the downtown area, have always been mellow until this year. I've been so used to a week of oddly warm weather sometime in the middle of winter and then an early spring, so it's been a bit of a readjustment.

This year has been particularly trying for cyclists desperate to log winter and early spring road miles. It seems like every time we are teased with a warming trend, the cold and snow swoop in once again. In spite of this annoying pattern, I feel fairly successful in getting the best of a challenging situation. Today I crossed the 600 mile threshold for the year, and should have close to 1K miles logged before my first race on May Day. Rather than despair like I did last year, I just kept looking for opportunities and concocted a winter cycling wardrobe that worked for the most challenging of conditions.

King Ferry, Ledyard, Genoa, Lansing

While my last two rides were all about climbing (Snyder Hill, Ringwood and Mt. Pleasant), today I concentrated more on distance. This was my longest ride of the year, a tad under 48 miles, along a familiar route that I'm quite fond of, up to King Ferry and Ledyard along Cayuga Lake, east to Genoa (big dairy country) and back home through West Groton and Lansing, and it was the most brutal and memorable ride of the year so far for sure!

The first 20+ miles up to Ledyard via Lansing and King Ferry were rough. Direct headwinds of 15-20 mph had my digging deep and averaging only 15.8 mph, and my legs felt like rubber by the time I turned on Ledyard Rd. I concentrated on keeping my cadence up high, but my legs were stinging a bit from the cold, in spite of my layers. After toying with the idea of using my remaining pair of ski hand warmers for a month now, I finally broke down and shoved them into my winter cycling gloves. It was really good move, since my hands never got cold during the entire ride.

As soon as I headed East I felt liberated, since I was no longer battling a powerful invisible force. The eventual tailwind had me flying home and every hillclimb was a breeze (pun intended). It was great to be back in big dairy country, and a big hats off to the friendly dairy farmer with the vanity plate on his pickup "Milks4U" who slowed down to make sure I wasn't chased by a dog and gave me a hearty wave. Winter and early spring can be dangerous times for cyclists, since drivers aren't expecting to see bikes and folks are less likely to tie up their dogs. This kind gesture by the friendly farmer had me wanting to buy up a big supply of his milk, even if it wasn't organic and didn't come from a small farm! I've always found farmers to be very friendly to cyclists, even though you'd think that they'd be annoyed. They're working insanely long days and then some overgrown kid with a fancypants carbon fiber bike zips by, seemingly oblivious to their hard work and daily back breaking chores. I usually feel guilty until I imagine that somewhere in farm country is a crazed cycling farmer getting ready for the racing and growing seasons simultaneously.

The ride into Lansing went so fast, as did the ride down East Shore Drive, and I was home before I knew it. The tailwinds really boosted my average speed, and I managed 18.1 mph for the windy loop. It wasn't my best time for that route, but all things considered, it felt pretty good. My fuel management and recoveries keep getting better, thanks to my latest sports nutrition obsessions. I'm hooked on the Heed products of late, and I'm using Perpetuem instead of gels and bars during the ride. The stuff really works, and it makes so much more sense to take on fuel in smaller quantities with less time in-between than the old gel and bar approach. You just adjust the mixture according to how long you'll be riding and you'll never bonk. The Recoverite seems to work like magic to reduce post-ride soreness and restore muscle. I was skeptical for the longest time, but my body is telling me that this is the magic elixer.

The Fuji Bordeaux, Jean's new road bike.

Finally, I was thrilled to be able to help my friend Jean buy a used road bike today. I called her the moment I saw the posting on the FLCC listserv, and she is now the proud owner of a 2005 Fuji Bourdeaux in mint condition. Thanks, Stephen, you did right by Jean, and I can't wait to go for a ride with her on her spiffy new toy.

Spring is Fickle

Yesterday and the day before we were basking in temperatures in the 60s, so it felt like cruel and unusual punishment to be back in the 40s with overcast skies and blustery winds. This made motivation especially hard, but it was well worth it. I took a new figure 8 route on familiar roads to get my distance up to the mid 30s. This was my first time on Ringwood coming from Ellis Hollow Creek Rd. and my first time on Snyder Hill Rd.

Who cares about the weather? Bring it on!

Spring Ahead and Speed Up

Loving the Maxxis Hors Category tire, great for training

Spring fever has struck for real, and never mind the road grit, this has been a glorious week of cycling. This is such an exciting time for cyclists, as we finally see ample riding opportunities on the horizon. Who cares if it's raining, as long as the temperatures are in the 40s or warmer.

I finally eked out a 100 mile+ mile week, and today I shed my jacket  and tights for the first time. It felt pretty strange to be suddenly so liberated, especially on the climbs.

As I headed up to Terpening Corners for me pre-work commute/workout, I noted with delight that my average speeds kept climbing, and then it just got better on the return trip down East Shore Drive, as a friendly tailwind pushed me all the way to work. I managed the 15 mile ride (900+ ft of vertical climb) averaging 20.9 mph, which was by far my fastest ride of the year. This has me wondering how much aerodynamics is a factor—my rain jacket  does flap around quite a bit, so riding without it probably does increase my speeds, but also, the wind direction is truly a wildcard variable. Either way, it feels good to be pushing the speeds up, especially as racing season is nearing.

Tuesday night racing starts up in a few weeks, and Hollenbecks is on the horizon, so I look forward to riding with others again soon.

Against All Odds, Spring Has Sprung and Family Cycling Fever is in Full Bloom!

Regrettably it has been a while since my last post. My most recent entry from early February was about my valiant efforts to keep going with winter cycling. February was a strong month, in spite of plenty of snowfall and cold temperatures. All told, I managed to eek out 115 road miles during the month, along with some hearty workouts on the trainer. The touring bike was an adequate substitute for the road bike, but I was getting increasingly itchy to get back to a more rigorous road biking schedule and really test out my new wheelset. I was getting all excited about March, since last year my season started, and then this happened. That's Ithaca for you—not enough snow when you want it most and then a useless and ridiculous early March blast.

March Madness

Enough already! Over a foot of snow on March 7th really put a damper on cycling for a few days, and I was cursing the weather gods once again. It used to be that snow got me all worked up in a good way, but  these days I just see it as an inconvenience. Fortunately for me, the warmer temps and heavy March rains made short work of a record snowfall. Finally the road bike resurfaced, and yesterday marked the beginning of my daily commute via Remington, Triphammer Lansing and back along East Shore Dr. It's so gratifying to take the road bike out after a long absence and get the confirmation that all that wintertime conditioning and cross-training really paid off.

Toby, the proud owner of a Fuji Ace 24

This week Toby finally got his Fuji Ace 24 from Glenn Swan's, and he is such a proud and happy guy. As Glenn predicted, Toby understood immediately that a road bike is so much faster and responsive on the roads than his mountain bike. It's sad that there aren't more road bike options for kids, but we are so fortunate to have Glenn's shop and his tireless cycling advocacy. Those 24" wheels are pretty cute, and it's a pretty impressive package.

Leo finally learns to ride...today!

And today, in the midst of submitting this latest blog entry, Leo has finally decided that it's his turn to learn to ride! Look how proud and determined our little guy is! Now that he's on two wheels, we are looking forward to family cycling adventures galore. This afternoon I'm taking Toby out to Lansing to start working on some moderate hill climbs. I'm not sure which one of us is more excited...

Bonus Training, Glorious Weather

After 3 1/2 months of cycling in sorts of less-than-ideal conditions, it's easy to forget what perfect weather riding is like. Well, today was one of those stellar days that foreshadows what will surely be a long and superb summer of riding. Temperatures in the low 70s to upper 60s, low humidity, barely a cloud in the sky, long shadows and a picture-perfect sunset...what more can you ask for? Not only that, but this was an unexpected bonus ride, the kind of lucky break that you just HAVE to embrace.

I've been thinking a lot about Ernie's comment about avoiding the number roads, and tonight I took the comment to heart, taking the low-traffic Van Ostrand to Munson, instead of taking Rt. 34 all the way to Gulf Rd. In spite of the fact that 34 has a smoother road surface, Van Ostrand is much more fun, and less traffic means that you can enjoy the scenery even more. The chip seal pavement is really in pretty good shape as well.

I'm really happy with my time tonight (20.3 mph average over 25.6 miles), as well as with the 11-tooth cog in my new cassette, which gave me a couple extra mph on the final East Shore descent.

Tomorrow is the cycling component of the Empire State Senior Game, which is happening at the Hollenbeck's course in Virgil, and I'm marshaling, and then Sunday is the Lakefest race in Whitney Point, so it's a very velo weekend!

Motivation on a Grumpy Day

The combination of a miserable work day and the unseasonable weather (once again a grim, gray, rainy mid 40s day) had me wanting to crawl under a rock after work. A year ago I probably would have laid low, but the more I ride, the more I need to ride and push myself in spite of all obstacles, perceived and real. Part of the reason probably is that every time I push myself out the door, the end results are so positive that I just know it will be worth it.

Today's ride was yet another case in point, a slog up to Lansing and toward Dryden, followed by an upbeat, blistering pace through Freeville and back on Rt. 13 past the airport, then back down Oakcrest, Cayuga Heights Rd., Sunset and Remington. Halfway through the ride, the heavy gray clouds started to slowly separate, finally revealing some hopeful patches of blue. This was such a restorative training ride, and a mighty fine loop worth revisiting.

Stats:

Distance: 32.55 miles

Avg. speed: 19 mph

Vertical ascent: 1679 ft.

Calories burned: 2279 kcal

Max. speed: 33.9 mph

Time: 1:42:55

Do I Have To?

I've reached the point of feeling obliged to ride every day, rain or shine, howling winds and blinding snow...IN MAY! This weather is getting ridiculous, and it's really hard to get amped up for rides in these conditions. A short weekend ride started off with sunny conditions, but rapidly deteriorated. Halfway through the ride it started raining, then sleeting, and limbs were falling all around me as I had to avoid all manner of small branches and organic matter on the roads. The downhill that normally gets me up to around 40 mph had me braking and swerving all the way down.

Please, jet stream, find a different deviation. This cold weather gear is getting annoying.

Chilly Ride

Chilly, windy day in the low 40s with mixed precip. in the higher elevations. This was one tough ride, and in spite of how silly those booties look, I think I'll need invest in some for such days. The rest of my body was cozy, while my left foot was frozen solid. Why just the left? Gail's theory is that it had to do with wind direction...good guess.

This was only my second time climbing Ringwood from the Ellis Hollow side, and it's quite a challenge, particularly the last two climbs. Feeling good now, though it was really hard to get out of the door.

Stats:

Distance: 25.33 miles

Avg. speed: 18 mph

Vertical ascent: 1854 ft.

Avg. heart rate: 141 bpm

Calories burned: 1587 kcal

Max. speed: 31.1 mph

Time: 1:24:27

Great Day to Fly a Kite

The brisk north winds were most intense this afternoon for my ritual Lansing after-work constitutional. Sometimes I can rationalize facing headwinds on the uphill by thinking that the impact is minimized by slower speeds and the fact that winds are tougher on the flats than on the hills in general. Not today. It was fairly brutal out there, the ride from Terpening Corners to Gulf Rd. was really dragging me down. But the good thing about facing a brisk wind head-on is the payback on the return trip, and today's tailwind was world-class! There's nothing like being pushed up hills by an invisible force.

31 miles for the day...this week has nightime temps around freezing most days and daytime highs in the high 50s and low 60s, so I won't be ditching the jacket and gloves for a while yet.

Yellow Barn Rd.: A Cleansing Experience

First Yellow Barn climb of the year. I like taking it on from Rt. 13, heading south, and it's by far my hardest regular climb. Today wasn't pretty, but I got the job done. I was imagining being passed by dozens of elite cyclists on the 800 ft., 2 mile climb. Today is the Paris-Roubaix race, considered one of the toughest bike races in the world, and I was imagining what it would be like to be in the mix there. I'd get flattened and publicly humiliated, so my solo cycling adventure was probably a better choice.

Since spring is exploding all over, I brought the camera to document the greening of the landscape. I never get off the bike to take pictures, which should explain the primitive framing of the shots. Garmin  needs to integrate a digital camera into their next generation of cycling GPS units—I think it would sell like hotcakes. Perhaps a helmet cam would be a better idea. I'm hoping for one for my 50th.

After the Yellow Barn climb, I decided to extend the ride a little and take on another climb, so I took the Brooktondale extension off of 79 and headed up Banks Rd. to Coddington. When will I ever learn about Coddington? There was a terrible motorcycle accident on that road the other day which resulted in a fatality, and I couldn't help but think about that awful event while riding on what must be one of the most dangerous cycling roads. The road is narrow with many blind corners, huge potholes, and fairly aggressive traffic. If you look back through my entries, you'll see previous promises to avoid this road like the plague, but hopefully I will remember to avoid this until the road is resurfaced. Given the controversy regarding widening Coddington, along with the dreadful state of budgetary affairs for NY State, this probably won't be happening any time soon.

Today I felt like I really turned a corner on my season. I'm ready for some longer rides now, and I'll probably be joining the Finger Lakes Cycling Club for some of their Tuesday evening rides. Amateur racing is still a distant thought—hopefully I can find a kind soul to mentor me through the process.

Stats:

Distance: 39.17 miles

Avg. speed: 17.6 mph

Vertical ascent: 2815 ft.

Avg. heart rate: 145 bpm

Calories burned: 2491 kcal

Max. speed: 41.7 mph

Time: 2:13:41

First Ringwood Climb of the Year

After a fun father and son ride in Varna today, I was lucky enough to get my first 2-hour ride in for the year. This is a ride that I dream about, and sometimes lull myself to sleep thinking about. It's familiar territory if you've been reading this blog since last fall when I started this blogging adventure, and it will likely remain my favorite ride for years to come. There's plenty of climbing challenges, stunning scenery, and opportunity for reverie and reflection without having to think about traffic, particularly in Lansing and nearing Groton.

Random Observations:

• The street cleaners have already made a pass or two on Triphammer and Rt. 34 in Lansing.
• There are lots of deer carcasses of various vintages littering the culverts in particular.
• People who drink Arizona brand beverages disproportionately litter the highways.
• A car filled with Cornell undergrads think that there's nothing funnier than screaming really loud at cyclists as they pass within inches. (I know where you live, boys. Funny, I saw them all load into the car and just had this intuition that they would do such a thing, and I kept waiting for them to pass.)
• I didn't see a single road biker today on my ride. Puzzling...

I'm feeling pretty strong today, even though Ringwood really presented a challenge, especially the final 250 ft. Fairly brisk North winds also presented a challenge on the homestretch on Rt. 79.

Stats:

Distance: 38.97 miles

Avg. speed: 18.4 mph

Vertical ascent: 2500 ft.

Avg. heart rate: 142 bpm

Calories burned: 2041 kcal

Max. speed: 41.2 mph

Time: 2:07:10

Map your trip with EveryTrail

I Just Can't Help It

Gentle Reader,

I'd like to preface my post today by stating clearly that I am painfully aware of my many character flaws, and am constantly reminded of them. These include, but are not limited, to being prone to hyperbole, having strong opinions about things that I don't know enough about, changing my mind frequently, obsessing about a wide variety of interests, refrigerator blindness, and spending other peoples' money. The list doesn't stop there, but I'd like to elaborate a little on that last item. 

A certain dear friend, who shall go by the name of Sunny, is in the market for a road bike. I keep encouraging her to spend just a little more than she wants to spend, and my powers of persuasion are frequently compromised by my aforementioned character flaws. I've tried all the arguments I can muster to encourage her to move up one notch on the component ladder...slightly better derailleur, bottom bracket, crank, etc., but she's not quite buying it. Today I thought I had an ironclad argument about how we don't think twice about paying an unexpected car repair bill than can run into the hundreds if not thousands, yet we don't allow a little more latitude when buying potentially transformational recreational/athletic hardware. Sunny acts as if she's not convinced, but somehow I can't help thinking that she is ever-so-slowly loosening the strings of her meticulously organized wallet. 

Truth be told, I am not an impartial consultant. A brand new road bike beyond a certain price point will just be begging to climb our endless hills, and I might soon have an occasional riding companion! Here's hoping.

Today's ride was stunning. It was my first jacket-free ride of the year, with temps in the mid-60s. Same old Lansing Conlon loop...I can't imagine a better ride with less than an hour to spare. Great tailwinds on the homestretch and feeling really strong. There were lots of other cyclists on the road today—I counted five others. Actually I saw six people, but I don't count riders without helmets. Maybe that's another character flaw, but so be it.

Stats:

Distance: 19.11 miles

Avg. speed: 19.6 mph

Vertical ascent: 949 ft.

Avg. heart rate: 148 bpm

Calories burned: 996 kcal

Max. speed: 36 mph

Time: 58:26

Healing Rays

This afternoon was beyond gorgeous. After a long winter and a series of gray, gloomy days, an afternoon ride in the sparkling sunshine is almost more than I can bear.

This was my first ride of the year on Turkey Hill Rd. and Ellis Hollow territory. A student today told me that his mom was crazy because she gets up some insane hour to ride up Quarry Rd. (the steepest section on the elevation profile). I tried to explain that folks of a certain age desperately need to do such things, but he'll just have to wait a while to really understand! Anyway, I took mom's advice and did the Quarry climb, which is the first time I've gone up that hill. It certainly won't be my last. It's not as challenging as Yellow Barn Rd. and Ringwood Rd. in Dryden, but it does get the heart pumping.

Stats:

Distance: 17.29 miles

Avg. speed: 17.6 mph

Vertical ascent: 1539 ft.

Calories burned: 1257 kcal

Max. speed: 37.1 mph

Time: 59:04

Lansing, Turkey Hill, Quarry Rd Loop

Map your trip with EveryTrail