98 Miles High - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-02-2004, 11:40 PM

I got an e-mail from this guy the other day. He's trying to break an
annual climbing record that he read about in Bicycling Magazine, and
he has a web site and upcomng book entitled "98 Miles High":

"Coming in January, 2005 98 Miles High"

"When opportunity meets perseverance, a world record is possible. 98
Miles High is not just the vertical distance climbed in one year,
it's the story about the drive and dedication needed to break an
obscure but difficult cycling record. It details one man's search to
be the best and his dedication to the cause. It's a "Tuesday's with
Morrie" meets La Cumbre Peak! The best cycling story book of the
year."

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

It was nice of him to write me. He must have stumbled onto the photo
of my 200-mile certificate of achievement:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

I didn't know there was a healthy competition going on. I thought I
was the only weirdo. When I said that maybe I should go for 2
million feet next year, my wife said in her serious tone, "I'm going
to pretend I didn't hear what you just said." Message received. Time
to take up knitting.

213 miles in Jan-Nov, but I'm not counting any more. Really.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

12-03-2004, 01:05 AM

On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 23:40:29 -0800, Terry Morse <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> I got an e-mail from this guy the other day. He's trying to break an
> annual climbing record that he read about in Bicycling Magazine, and
> he has a web site and upcomng book entitled "98 Miles High":
>
> "Coming in January, 2005 98 Miles High"

It sounds hard but if you froke it into 365 days that would only
be about 1500 feet per day, doable. I used to ride in Healdsburg
where I worked in the wine country and did 900 feet once at lunch
and up to 5 times after work where darkness cut me off. On the weekends
I was nowhere near hills so coulnd not add to the total. In the summer
I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.
A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
all the down then up again little swooshy hills. It is possible I came
close but fitness was the goal, not a record. My reward for 5 times
around the hill, a nice cold Millers Gold. Not healthy but it sure
hit the spot.
>
> "When opportunity meets perseverance, a world record is possible. 98
> Miles High is not just the vertical distance climbed in one year,
> it's the story about the drive and dedication needed to break an
> obscure but difficult cycling record. It details one man's search to
> be the best and his dedication to the cause. It's a "Tuesday's with
> Morrie" meets La Cumbre Peak! The best cycling story book of the
> year."
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> It was nice of him to write me. He must have stumbled onto the photo
> of my 200-mile certificate of achievement:
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> I didn't know there was a healthy competition going on. I thought I
> was the only weirdo. When I said that maybe I should go for 2
> million feet next year, my wife said in her serious tone, "I'm going
> to pretend I didn't hear what you just said." Message received. Time
> to take up knitting.
>
> 213 miles in Jan-Nov, but I'm not counting any more. Really.
> --
> terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

--
Bill (?) Baka

12-03-2004, 01:05 AM

On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 23:40:29 -0800, Terry Morse <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> I got an e-mail from this guy the other day. He's trying to break an
> annual climbing record that he read about in Bicycling Magazine, and
> he has a web site and upcomng book entitled "98 Miles High":
>
> "Coming in January, 2005 98 Miles High"

It sounds hard but if you froke it into 365 days that would only
be about 1500 feet per day, doable. I used to ride in Healdsburg
where I worked in the wine country and did 900 feet once at lunch
and up to 5 times after work where darkness cut me off. On the weekends
I was nowhere near hills so coulnd not add to the total. In the summer
I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.
A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
all the down then up again little swooshy hills. It is possible I came
close but fitness was the goal, not a record. My reward for 5 times
around the hill, a nice cold Millers Gold. Not healthy but it sure
hit the spot.
>
> "When opportunity meets perseverance, a world record is possible. 98
> Miles High is not just the vertical distance climbed in one year,
> it's the story about the drive and dedication needed to break an
> obscure but difficult cycling record. It details one man's search to
> be the best and his dedication to the cause. It's a "Tuesday's with
> Morrie" meets La Cumbre Peak! The best cycling story book of the
> year."
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> It was nice of him to write me. He must have stumbled onto the photo
> of my 200-mile certificate of achievement:
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> I didn't know there was a healthy competition going on. I thought I
> was the only weirdo. When I said that maybe I should go for 2
> million feet next year, my wife said in her serious tone, "I'm going
> to pretend I didn't hear what you just said." Message received. Time
> to take up knitting.
>
> 213 miles in Jan-Nov, but I'm not counting any more. Really.
> --
> terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

--
Bill (?) Baka

12-03-2004, 01:05 AM

On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 23:40:29 -0800, Terry Morse <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> I got an e-mail from this guy the other day. He's trying to break an
> annual climbing record that he read about in Bicycling Magazine, and
> he has a web site and upcomng book entitled "98 Miles High":
>
> "Coming in January, 2005 98 Miles High"

It sounds hard but if you froke it into 365 days that would only
be about 1500 feet per day, doable. I used to ride in Healdsburg
where I worked in the wine country and did 900 feet once at lunch
and up to 5 times after work where darkness cut me off. On the weekends
I was nowhere near hills so coulnd not add to the total. In the summer
I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.
A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
all the down then up again little swooshy hills. It is possible I came
close but fitness was the goal, not a record. My reward for 5 times
around the hill, a nice cold Millers Gold. Not healthy but it sure
hit the spot.
>
> "When opportunity meets perseverance, a world record is possible. 98
> Miles High is not just the vertical distance climbed in one year,
> it's the story about the drive and dedication needed to break an
> obscure but difficult cycling record. It details one man's search to
> be the best and his dedication to the cause. It's a "Tuesday's with
> Morrie" meets La Cumbre Peak! The best cycling story book of the
> year."
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> It was nice of him to write me. He must have stumbled onto the photo
> of my 200-mile certificate of achievement:
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> I didn't know there was a healthy competition going on. I thought I
> was the only weirdo. When I said that maybe I should go for 2
> million feet next year, my wife said in her serious tone, "I'm going
> to pretend I didn't hear what you just said." Message received. Time
> to take up knitting.
>
> 213 miles in Jan-Nov, but I'm not counting any more. Really.
> --
> terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

--
Bill (?) Baka

12-03-2004, 01:05 AM

On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 23:40:29 -0800, Terry Morse <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> I got an e-mail from this guy the other day. He's trying to break an
> annual climbing record that he read about in Bicycling Magazine, and
> he has a web site and upcomng book entitled "98 Miles High":
>
> "Coming in January, 2005 98 Miles High"

It sounds hard but if you froke it into 365 days that would only
be about 1500 feet per day, doable. I used to ride in Healdsburg
where I worked in the wine country and did 900 feet once at lunch
and up to 5 times after work where darkness cut me off. On the weekends
I was nowhere near hills so coulnd not add to the total. In the summer
I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.
A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
all the down then up again little swooshy hills. It is possible I came
close but fitness was the goal, not a record. My reward for 5 times
around the hill, a nice cold Millers Gold. Not healthy but it sure
hit the spot.
>
> "When opportunity meets perseverance, a world record is possible. 98
> Miles High is not just the vertical distance climbed in one year,
> it's the story about the drive and dedication needed to break an
> obscure but difficult cycling record. It details one man's search to
> be the best and his dedication to the cause. It's a "Tuesday's with
> Morrie" meets La Cumbre Peak! The best cycling story book of the
> year."
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> It was nice of him to write me. He must have stumbled onto the photo
> of my 200-mile certificate of achievement:
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> I didn't know there was a healthy competition going on. I thought I
> was the only weirdo. When I said that maybe I should go for 2
> million feet next year, my wife said in her serious tone, "I'm going
> to pretend I didn't hear what you just said." Message received. Time
> to take up knitting.
>
> 213 miles in Jan-Nov, but I'm not counting any more. Really.
> --
> terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

--
Bill (?) Baka

12-03-2004, 08:17 AM

Bill Baka wrote:

> In the summer
> I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.

A vertical mile per day, every day? That's a lot. My highest monthly
total is 27.6 miles, set in September when I was training for and
completing the Everest Challenge. That was with only 3 rest days.
Highest 7-day total was 8.7 miles. I doubt you really did a mile a
day consistently.

> A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
> all the down then up again little swooshy hills.

Altimeter bike computer is a better tool than a GPS.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

12-03-2004, 08:17 AM

Bill Baka wrote:

> In the summer
> I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.

A vertical mile per day, every day? That's a lot. My highest monthly
total is 27.6 miles, set in September when I was training for and
completing the Everest Challenge. That was with only 3 rest days.
Highest 7-day total was 8.7 miles. I doubt you really did a mile a
day consistently.

> A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
> all the down then up again little swooshy hills.

Altimeter bike computer is a better tool than a GPS.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

12-03-2004, 08:17 AM

Bill Baka wrote:

> In the summer
> I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.

A vertical mile per day, every day? That's a lot. My highest monthly
total is 27.6 miles, set in September when I was training for and
completing the Everest Challenge. That was with only 3 rest days.
Highest 7-day total was 8.7 miles. I doubt you really did a mile a
day consistently.

> A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
> all the down then up again little swooshy hills.

Altimeter bike computer is a better tool than a GPS.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

12-03-2004, 08:17 AM

Bill Baka wrote:

> In the summer
> I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.

A vertical mile per day, every day? That's a lot. My highest monthly
total is 27.6 miles, set in September when I was training for and
completing the Everest Challenge. That was with only 3 rest days.
Highest 7-day total was 8.7 miles. I doubt you really did a mile a
day consistently.

> A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
> all the down then up again little swooshy hills.

Altimeter bike computer is a better tool than a GPS.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

12-03-2004, 08:52 AM

"Terry Morse" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Bill Baka wrote:
>
> > In the summer
> > I came close to a mile a day, but never thought of tallying it.
>
> A vertical mile per day, every day? That's a lot. My highest monthly
> total is 27.6 miles, set in September when I was training for and
> completing the Everest Challenge. That was with only 3 rest days.
> Highest 7-day total was 8.7 miles. I doubt you really did a mile a
> day consistently.
>
> > A GPS might have been a cool tool since I probably could have counted
> > all the down then up again little swooshy hills.
>
> Altimeter bike computer is a better tool than a GPS.
> --
> terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Do you have any recommendations for a good altimeter?

I'm currently using a Vetta V100A, which seems reasonably accurate.
Comparing its results with an older Avocet Vertech watch, and the estimates
from DeLorme's Topo USA software, the Vetta consistently reports more than
the Vertech, and less than Topo USA. I assume this is because the Vertech
has a 10 meter "trigger" for accumulation (compared to 1 m for the Vetta),
and the Topo USA software is known to overstate its elevation gain
estimates.

The Vetta also has an inclinometer feature, and can report current grade,
plus maximum grade encountered on a ride (reporting both the maximum "up"
and "down" grades), which is kind of cool. Unfortunately, I question the
reliability of the inclinometer - it seems to get fooled sometimes and
report grades that are unreasonably large (e.g., 22%), perhaps because it is
sampling too often.

--
~_-*
....G/ \G
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
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