Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Today's ride: my best effort yet

I hit a milestone today.

http://23x.us/pix/bikes/mileage_06-27-09.jpg

It was so great. I started out taking the local MUP and hitting a side trail where I found this:

http://23x.us/pix/bikes/the_goat_6-27-09.jpg

That's a real goat. There's this weird farm where the guy lets people wander around and look at his goats and chickens. You don't see a goat chillin' on a disused water fountain every day of the week.

I hit the end of the trail and took off on the roads. I hit some mild rollers and the Defy 3 ate them up. I got on the big 4-lane road that connects all the way down into New Haven and just opened up. I hammered doen that road at around 20 mph for almost 30 minutes! I have NO idea where I got that energy from. Well, maybe the Bonk Breakers and Gatorade gave it to me. :)

Circled back around up on the path to hit the water station again...took a short ten minute break. Jasmine posed for a glamour shot:

http://23x.us/pix/bikes/jasmine_lock12_6-27-09.jpg

At this point I had accumulated 20 miles. I was about 20 miles away from the bike shop when that click in the BB started in on me again. I was in the suburb of the suburb of the suburb of New Haven. I just set my mind that I was going to ride all the way into downtown. And. I. Did.

Got the BB tightened. Noise gone. Took off through the city and made my way home for just over 50 miles. After a rest and cleanup, I grilled some lamb and made a spectacular salad and ate like a pig. :)

I think I have found my niche. I like distance. I love the road, even when I have to fight the jerks who try to run me off the road, or the morons that yell at me to get on the sidewalk, or when I discover that the city has stripped the top three inches off the asphalt and the road is so rough I have to get on the sidewalk.

Tomorrow is a day of rest, and hopefully Monday I can do another 50.... :thumb:

http://23x.us/pix/bikes/jasmine_dirty_chain_06-27-0.jpg

Wow, I really need to clean that tomorrow. :)

That last picture almost made me cry. I'm a clean drivetrain freak, heck I'll clean others just because I like doing it. My favorite is simple green cut 25-1 a park chain cleaning tool and various size old paint brushes to get into all the little spots. Then a drop of dry lube on every roller a gentle wipe and ready for my next adventure.

congrats on the ride looks like you had fun

That last picture almost made me cry. I'm a clean drivetrain freak, heck I'll clean others just because I like doing it. My favorite is simple green cut 25-1 a park chain cleaning tool and various size old paint brushes to get into all the little spots. Then a drop of dry lube on every roller a gentle wipe and ready for my next adventure.

That is almost what i did this morning. Park chain tool, simple green and some scrubbing w/various brushes. Drying, then Park CL-1 on each roller, gentle wipe and done.

http://23x.us/pix/bikes/jasmine_clean_chain_6_28_09.jpg

Clean, clean, everything clean. Well almost. I could have done a better job on the cassette:

http://23x.us/pix/bikes/jasmine_semi-clean_cassette.jpg

Should I think about dry lube instead of the oil? Never really used a dry lube before.

IMO dry lube attracts less dirty and dust.

I believe that is a brand new bike. The stuff that comes on new chains seems really sticky and attracts stuff.

I believe that is a brand new bike. The stuff that comes on new chains seems really sticky and attracts stuff.

Yeah it was like gum. Really very incredibly sticky. I still have to get some of it off the chainrings...next weekend I'll give it another cleaning with more detail.