Is the (US) midwest running out of air yet? - Page 2

02-12-2007, 12:38 PM

dgk wrote:

> That is, unless I step on the scale and freak out like I did this
> morning. I pedaled harder than usual, and got to work in (goes off to
> check the computer in the jacket pocket) 1:25. That's with the nasty
> headwind and the stupid studded tire. I need to get back to slicks.

I don't think even the bathroom scales are as brutal as those
danged "pace arrows" on cyclocomputers!

Took a lot of "training" (and pain) for me to get to the point
of ignoring them!

SMH

02-13-2007, 02:30 AM

In article <q92Ah.3035$7s2.2538@trndny07>,
Stephen Harding <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Along those lines was stop trying to maintain your "cruise"
> speed in the face of strong headwinds! You've got a day of
> pedaling. It ain't a training ride! Just get to where you're
> going whatever time it takes to get there.

A great lesson for the Great Planes. (I've mentioned before about) A
ride i like to do in the spring, when the prevailing headwinds are 30++
mph. I find a nice road, 20~40+ miles long, that lines up with the
winds and grind into the wind as long as time will allow before i turn
around for the v.fast ride home. Cadence/gear mgt is key to having fun.

> You've got all those gears! Use them! They're not solely
> for climbing steep grades ya know. And there is no minimum
> speed requirement or bonus points getting somewhere faster!

I remember visiting a friend who worked for Schwinn in Boulder several
years ago. He said "Lets go up Left Hand Canyon road!" OMG. I live
in Illinois, where the second L stands for FLAT. I learned a lot about
climbing that day. And about freezing my ass off ... (The hippie
kwikie mart at the top was pretty fun...)

..max

02-13-2007, 02:37 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
dgk <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>
> That is my plan. I generally just pedal along until I get where I'm
> going. No matter how fast or how slow, it always takes between 1:10
> and 1:30 to get to work, and usually it's between 1:15 and 1:25. Those
> ten minutes don't mean anything.
>
> That is, unless I step on the scale and freak out like I did this
> morning. I pedaled harder than usual, and got to work in (goes off to
> check the computer in the jacket pocket) 1:25. That's with the nasty
> headwind and the stupid studded tire. I need to get back to slicks.

studded tires == slow..... The only thing that really slows me down
is the presence of 4+ inches of snow. I have yet to find a set of tires
(wide, narrow, 700c, 26", slick, knobbie or studded) that can handle
deep and drifted snow or car-compacted snow (the _worst!).

A few years ago i had a ~3 hour ride home (in keeping with today's
Gilligan's Island theme) after midnight because of an evenings 6"
snowfall that totally overwhelmed the muni' snow crews. Much muscle
trauma from constantly breaking through car-packed snow and almost
crashing..

Today will be different.

..max
(west suburban greater Chicagoland metroplex area)

02-13-2007, 03:19 AM

On 2007-02-13, fluffy bunny <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
> A few years ago i had a ~3 hour ride home (in keeping with today's
> Gilligan's Island theme) after midnight because of an evenings 6"
> snowfall that totally overwhelmed the muni' snow crews. Much muscle
> trauma from constantly breaking through car-packed snow and almost
> crashing..
>
> Today will be different.

Staying home today? I would if I weren't already working from home,
anyway. That wind alone is brutal right now...

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
(_)/ (_)

02-13-2007, 06:49 AM

On Feb 13, 6:19 am, Kristian M Zoerhoff <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:
> On 2007-02-13, fluffy bunny <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > A few years ago i had a ~3 hour ride home (in keeping with today's
> > Gilligan's Island theme) after midnight because of an evenings 6"
> > snowfall that totally overwhelmed the muni' snow crews. Much muscle
> > trauma from constantly breaking through car-packed snow and almost
> > crashing..
>
> > Today will be different.
>
> Staying home today? I would if I weren't already working from home,
> anyway. That wind alone is brutal right now...
>
> --
>
> __o Kristian Zoerhoff
> _'\(,_ [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
> (_)/ (_)

Thanks to our intrepid bicycle snow plow guy, Dave, to river trail was
easy. Actually, it was pretty [somewhat less but still] easy even
without him, until i got out into the open prairie drifts. That was
hard.

..max