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01-06-2007, 07:44 PM

In article <5jn0q291lgav5frqehtp0ila9hri4oc058@4ax.com>,
Patrick Lamb <pdl678NOSPAM@comcast.net> writes:
> On Wed, 3 Jan 2007 21:07:28 -0800, tkeats2005@hotmail.com (Tom Keats)
> wrote:
>>In article <qvvop2dk21ev0l2jehog653ueui3vrttip@4ax.com>,
>> Patrick Lamb <pdl678NOSPAM@comcast.net> writes:
>>> What's important
>>> enough to log -- time, distance, ride profile, max/min speed or pulse
>>> -- and why do you log it?
>>
>>When I had the cycloputer, it seemed a shame to
>>just toss all those numbers into the bit bucket.
>>Might as well save 'em. And I liked to record
>>things I noticed, impressions and experiences
>>during my rides.
>
> When I was going through my desk calendar, the impressions and
> experiences I remembered seemed like the most important (and
> ephemeral, and intangible) things in there. Well, maybe second most,
> behind the mileage...

I'm saving up for a reasonably priced camera.
Maybe a nice, no-frills 35mm SLR + zoom/telephoto +
filters, etc.

>>> What do you do with it when you're done?
>>
>>There's the rub. Not much. That's partly why I don't
>>bother any more.
>
> You've gone more minimalist than I've been able to, at least so far.
^^^^^^^^^^

I prefer "essentialist" :-)

> I did like remembering the rides; even the one where I turned into a
> 20 mph headwind, at 20 F, and almost stopped. That one, at least, is
> good for stories.

If you had a camera, you could've taken a snap of the
icycles hanging from your rear derailer :-)

For a time, I tried making notes of all the intersections
with cyclist push-button traffic lights. That evolved into
making notes of the best/worst intersections in general,
taking into consideration such things as traffic volume and
sight lines. But I've gotten to know my way around by memory,
like a good cabbie.

I've lived & ridden in the same city pretty much all my life,
so one might think it's a lead pipe cinch for me to know all
the routes. But it's constantly evolving and and changing,
as the City installs new facilities and reconfigures streets.

One self-inflicted challenge I particularly enjoy is not so much
about speed or time per se, but to figure out as-the-crow-flies
routes that cut diagonally across the street-layout grid, often
using shortcuts through parks, parking lots, etc. The speed &
time thing then just naturally falls into place. I just can't
restrict myself to just riding on arterials, or side streets,
or bike lanes, or MUPs. If it's there and it's useful -- I'll
use it. I guess I'm an essentialist-advantagist.

So it's really not enough to just figure out a good route
once and for all, and then habitually keep using it. One
has to keep one's eyes & mind open, and occasionally re-explore
the already-explored. What's an odious route today could very
well become a beauty tomorrow. I used to make digital notes
about such changes and improvements. Now I make mental notes,
and that's good enough for me. Besides, when I'm awheel, I
don't have access to my home computer system. But it's all
"up here" (usually).

I dunno -- maybe there's something Anal Retentive about going
to quantative numerical extremes of making preserved museum
specimens out of past rides? Maybe a bike ride has a Spirit
that really needs to be let go and released, instead of clung-to
or caged in an atrophying database or spreadsheet. If someone
needs to experience a ride, a fresh one does the trick.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

01-06-2007, 07:44 PM	#21 (permalink)
Tom Keats Guest Posts: n/a	Re: How do you log rides? In article <5jn0q291lgav5frqehtp0ila9hri4oc058@4ax.com>, Patrick Lamb <pdl678NOSPAM@comcast.net> writes: > On Wed, 3 Jan 2007 21:07:28 -0800, tkeats2005@hotmail.com (Tom Keats) > wrote: >>In article <qvvop2dk21ev0l2jehog653ueui3vrttip@4ax.com>, >> Patrick Lamb <pdl678NOSPAM@comcast.net> writes: >>> What's important >>> enough to log -- time, distance, ride profile, max/min speed or pulse >>> -- and why do you log it? >> >>When I had the cycloputer, it seemed a shame to >>just toss all those numbers into the bit bucket. >>Might as well save 'em. And I liked to record >>things I noticed, impressions and experiences >>during my rides. > > When I was going through my desk calendar, the impressions and > experiences I remembered seemed like the most important (and > ephemeral, and intangible) things in there. Well, maybe second most, > behind the mileage... I'm saving up for a reasonably priced camera. Maybe a nice, no-frills 35mm SLR + zoom/telephoto + filters, etc. >>> What do you do with it when you're done? >> >>There's the rub. Not much. That's partly why I don't >>bother any more. > > You've gone more minimalist than I've been able to, at least so far. ^^^^^^^^^^ I prefer "essentialist" :-) > I did like remembering the rides; even the one where I turned into a > 20 mph headwind, at 20 F, and almost stopped. That one, at least, is > good for stories. If you had a camera, you could've taken a snap of the icycles hanging from your rear derailer :-) For a time, I tried making notes of all the intersections with cyclist push-button traffic lights. That evolved into making notes of the best/worst intersections in general, taking into consideration such things as traffic volume and sight lines. But I've gotten to know my way around by memory, like a good cabbie. I've lived & ridden in the same city pretty much all my life, so one might think it's a lead pipe cinch for me to know all the routes. But it's constantly evolving and and changing, as the City installs new facilities and reconfigures streets. One self-inflicted challenge I particularly enjoy is not so much about speed or time per se, but to figure out as-the-crow-flies routes that cut diagonally across the street-layout grid, often using shortcuts through parks, parking lots, etc. The speed & time thing then just naturally falls into place. I just can't restrict myself to just riding on arterials, or side streets, or bike lanes, or MUPs. If it's there and it's useful -- I'll use it. I guess I'm an essentialist-advantagist. So it's really not enough to just figure out a good route once and for all, and then habitually keep using it. One has to keep one's eyes & mind open, and occasionally re-explore the already-explored. What's an odious route today could very well become a beauty tomorrow. I used to make digital notes about such changes and improvements. Now I make mental notes, and that's good enough for me. Besides, when I'm awheel, I don't have access to my home computer system. But it's all "up here" (usually). I dunno -- maybe there's something Anal Retentive about going to quantative numerical extremes of making preserved museum specimens out of past rides? Maybe a bike ride has a Spirit that really needs to be let go and released, instead of clung-to or caged in an atrophying database or spreadsheet. If someone needs to experience a ride, a fresh one does the trick. cheers, Tom -- Nothing is safe from me. Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca