Rides 2013 — add yours

[JimK]

http://www.mapmyride.com/us/woodstock-ny/cairo-route-109051599

Bit of a narrow escape today... I like to eat lunch at Best Wok in Cairo. Styrofoam plate kind of place but pretty tasty for being in the country. I don't get up to Cairo too often, maybe once or twice a year. Today looked like an opportunity, so I pounced. But when I got there, the whole shopping plaza was gone and a new one going up in its place. Ah, but around the side, a new little section was already open. Better yet, 10% off for the grand reopening! I got my vegetables rice and tofu. Maybe not official cycling fare but I like it!

[Danneaux]

Looks like a pretty nice out-and-back sort of ride, Jim, and the food sounds delicious! Those sorts of places may be short on "atmosphere" but they're often long on taste, and just about ideal for "filling the tank" when you have a hearty cyclist's appetite.

What a nice surprise to find the place still in business! When I lived in northern Mississippi, one of the "must stops" whenever I made the trip to Memphis was a little Chinese Buffet called Nam King. Fantastic food and really nice people owned and staffed the place. I nearly panicked when I didn't see it one trip -- it, too, had moved to the side of the complex. Whew! In relief, I rewarded myself with a double-size helping.

Thanks for sharing the ride with us, Jim.

Best,

Dan.

[JWestland]

The yellow lightbulb in the sky was out yesterday, so my hour and a half riding to get me places where I had to be turned into a pleasant slog. (slog, legs tired from lifting...)

We have a lot of wee bugs atm on some paths, so keeping mouth shut at all times is a requisite 

[JimK]

Bit of a new adventure today. The elementary school's parent-teacher association was hosting a community yard sale, so our de-cluttering project made great progress. Maybe a third of what we'd put out got sold... or maybe even more. My sweetheart's Huffy coaster brake cruiser sold for $15. I pumped up the tires last night - 57 mm wide - really a nice ride! The front fender was rubbing a bit but I managed to tweak it. The buyer just rode off happy. Sale!

The place was packed so parking was at a premium. I used my Workcycles Transport bike while we were there - run home to let the dogs out, get smooothies in town, more small bills at the bank to make change - people using a $20 bill to pay for a $1 book!

I don't know what the bottom gear on that Workcycles bike is. It's a Nexus 8-speed but geared too high. 7 and 8 are really useless. I have a new 22 tooth sprocket waiting in the wings for me to get around to it. Hey, we got a couple tables of stuff put out for the yard sale! Some stuff gets done even if it is only a small fraction of needs or dreams or what's the difference, I sure don't know!

Right by our house we have a nice little nasty hill. i generally avoid riding up it! But to get home from the school, it really is the practical route. Maybe I have ridden the workcycles bike up there once before. Today I rode up twice. I stood up on the pedals to manage it. I think it's the first time I have ever stood up pedaling on that bike. It is not really set up for that sort of thing. The grips are around mid-thigh when one is seated. It is a quintessential sit-up-straight bike, with a nice wide Brooks B-66 to make that comfortable. Standing up to climb a 9% grade, the grips are way behind. I was standing up in the middle of the handlebars! The stem is really short. I was holding the handlebars way up near the stem but with a short stem that gives very little steering control - one's hands are very close to the steering axis!

I got up the hill but it was definitely an interesting lesson in bike geometry. Of course I have had the Nomad up that hill often enough and it is no big deal. 9% always calls for some respect but that's the sort of thing the Nomad is built for. Not the Workcycles Transport!
 

[Danneaux]

What an adventure, Jim, and very well-described! I could just see it all in my mind's eye, and especially trying to "stand up the hill" on the WorkCycles Transport! Well done to accomplish it as you did.

Best,

Dan.

[JimK]

We've had lots of thunderstorms around the area, it seems like for weeks. Finally today the probabilities forecast were a bit lower for a few hours, so I decided to try a new ride:

http://www.mapmyride.com/us/woodstock-ny/lexington-loop-route-155268025

There were some ominous clouds about and even a few raindrops, but it turned out to be a great fun ride. The major hill, up Route 42 out of Shandaken, was not steep at all. I think I was in gear 3 most of the way and never went into 1 - on that hill. Lots of other hills and certainly down into 1 plenty - just not on the hill I was most afraid of!



I think if you click on the photo you will go to the album with other photos of the ride.
EDIT: well, I guess clicking doesn't work! How about:

http://s140.photobucket.com/user/kukulaj/library/Nomad/Lexington%202013%2007%2007

[Danneaux]

Ohhhh, Jim! What a fantastically wonderful photo you've posted here, and a whole album of them at the link you provided. I really, really like that waterfall with the rock platforms and the Fearless Nomad to one side.

My, what a terrific ride and beautiful countryside in which to enjoy it!

You do well to manage with the risk of frequent thunderstorms. Do you take special precautions if you're caught out in one? Perhaps move away from the bike, or seek shelter to avoid the risk of zappage?

I liked the "guardrail self-portrait" by the way.

Thanks so much for sharing these, Jim; thoroughly enjoyable.

Best,

Dan.

[JimK]

I am still trying to figure out the smart thunderstorm strategy. Mostly I just try to avoid them, keeping an eye on the forecasts and trying to time my rides. But of course that is no perfect solution. A few days ago I was on on a 27 mile ride, shopping. On the way home there was a lot of lightning really too close. Some cloud-to-cloud action right above me and then some ground strikes to ridges a few miles away. My hair was starting to stand on end! Mostly I am riding in pretty thickly wooded terrain and not up high, so I figure I am not such a great target. Yeah, when I am just out riding and a thunderstorm comes up, what is the smart strategy?

I was amazed when I moved out to Oregon - no thunderstorms! I found a map of lightning frequency. Quite a lot of variation! My final two years of high school were outside Fort Wayne, Indiana. Thunderstorms are even more frequent there than here in New York!
 

[Danneaux]

I was amazed when I moved out to Oregon - no thunderstorms!

True, Jim, and thankfully so. A real contrast to when I lived in for a year in Mississippi, where they were a regular occurrence. Tornadoes, too, but I was fortunate to miss them; I think the slightly hilly terrain around Oxford helped in that regard. Lots of high winds and tree-blowovers associated with the t-storms, especially the big magnolia trees.

I am really interested in your experiences, as I will likely encounter some afternoon thunderstorms on this next tour. I don't have much experience riding in them, and there's not much in the way of shelter available in such open country. I think I'd rather be off the bike -- and away from it -- if things really started going Zzot! Zzot!

Be careful riding out there, Jim!

Best,

Dan. (...who would rather St. Elmo's Fire remain only a movie title)

[JimK]

Yeah if you are out in open country then thunderstorms are a lot more dangerous. On the one hand you're better off in a lower place but on the other hand you don't want to get nailed by a flash flood. My one time driving through really remote territory was when I moved back east from Oregon... I drove I-84 to Salt Lake City and then I-80 til the last few hours. Some of those signs out in the middle of nowhere, warning that water can get x feet deep where there is not the least physical sign of any possibility of water.

If things get prickly then getting away from the bike makes sense. You probably know, you don't want to lie on the ground. Better to squat down somehow... you want to be low but keep your contact area small. Once lightning hits then current runs along the ground and you don't want to be providing a conduction path.

 

[JimK]

I got myself a portable radio with weather band reception: a Sangean DT-400W -

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012YHQVE/

because generally if something really nasty is coming through, the national weather service will put out a warning. I haven't actually tried using this radio out on a ride yet. But I haven't been out on a solo tour, either! Anyway, might be worth considering.

[Danneaux]

I got myself a portable radio with weather band reception...might be worth considering.

Hi Jim!

That Sangean of yours is a beauty, alright, a little gem of a radio. I found mine in a little Sony here: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4023.msg18320#msg18320 ...and will be taking it with me. It uses a single AAA cell for 31-54 hours of operation (depends on band) and easy rechargeability via my dyno-chargers and Sanyo Eneloop battery chargers.

"Knowing" what the weather is about to do is very helpful...even if I can't do much about it! Still, a bad-weather announcement would put me on notice, and I could begin planning my next move with that in mind, perhaps looking for something in terms of shelter.

ou probably know, you don't want to lie on the ground. Better to squat down somehow... you want to be low but keep your contact area small.

Yes, when it has pelted down too hard to ride, I've been known to squat down on the road shoulder, arms wrapped around knees and head bowed against the rain till it lets up a bit. Something like that would help in the case of t-storms, I'd think, absent any sort of shelter. Not a lot of fun to contemplate, but like everything else, the bad stuff passes with time.

Best,

Dan. (...who has gone back at least three times to see that lovely waterfall/Nomad photo of yours, posted above)

[sdg_77]

With the weather taking a definite turn for the better I took a ride over to Draycote Water last week part way on an old railway,  bridle paths and a canal towpath.  

Not a day for rushing - particularly when out in the sun .... http://app.strava.com/activities/64889791

photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_gale/9305378579  click right and left to see the others.



possibly the best part of being 'between contracts'
sdg.

[Danneaux]

Wow! Steve!

What outstanding photos of your gorgeous Sherpa on a lovely day!

And -- my! -- what a build! Every little detail, like how you've mounted the bell so nicely so it falls next to the stem-steerer clamp, and the little anti-rub patch to protect the underside if the top tube. I have a real soft spot for Mk2 Sherpas, and this one is a corker!

I especially like seeing the fresh approach of a honey Brooks and matching 'bar tape with the black bike.

By the way, it appears you're using a little different mount for the Click-Stand on the seat tube. Is it a repurposed U-lock mount? In any event, it looks very nice and appears it would be a secure alternative to the ones offered at purchase.

Your other shots are just stunning as well; what a treat! Really enjoying all of these, Steve, thanks so much for posting.

Best,

Dan.

[sdg_77]

Dan,  thanks and yes it was a brilliant day,  far too nice to rush about and miss the wildlife.  The path where I took the photos is a local wildlife reserve intended to encourage butterflies.

The click stand mount is an old lock clip - I was just fortunate that it fitted so well.  The click stand itself is quite a success, I was a little dubious at first but I have found it is easy enough to take it out of the clip and let it assemble itself while holding one brake on.

The bell is just held on with an O ring, putting it on the side of the stem means it is reasonably accessible but leaves the bar tops free. There are several good cycle paths near home and a ping bell seems to be the least contentious way of warning anyone strolling that I am behind them.

The saddle has also turned out to be better than I expected,  I decided to try a B17 based on Thorn's 'give it a go pricing', it has turned out to be very comfortable and after minimal 'settling in'.   I just went with Thorn's advice that Honey looks good with a black frame. I tried the bar tape as it was on offer ... and it is something of an indulgence.  I can't quite match the colour as the wax on the saddle darkens the leather and the bar tape doesn't really change much.  As bar tape goes it is not particularly well padded, so I have a couple of gel pads under it.

The Sherpa is pretty well now as I'm expecting to leave it for the long term.  It has become the most used of my bikes and because of major family events,  has done quite a lot of 'utility' mileage rather than touring recently.

No tour planned this year,  but we have thoughts of the Rhine cycle route (EV15) next.  We're off to Jersey for a long weekend on Saturday,  it should be interesting comparing the hire bikes to the Sherpas ;-)


regards
sdg.