NoRacer

+1

Ok... time to stop getting injured. ALL OF YOU! STOP!

NoRacer

Well, the bike is back together. It still needs a good cleaning, but at least while the derailleur was off I was able to give it a little more attention than usual.

So,... no interruption to my mileage gathering.

The Human Car

NR: If you are getting three years off of a chain then talk to me about details.

Josh: Man, I hope you get better fast, that was one freaky accident. Mini-van, to help get bikes and family out riding?

Some more detail from my ride on Sunday; while I was riding I started having trouble shifting my front derailleur so I stopped to see what was going on and I found the little plastic end caps on the cable housing broke allowing the housing "to shrink" in length, and not just one end but two of them. So after a lot of fiddling and creative routing of available parts I was able to get it working again, but man cheep plastic really T's me off. So I went to Joe's to get some new housing with real metal end caps.

NoRacer

No, Barry, not a chain--just a Wipperman master link that I've used over and over for about 3 years.

balto charlie

Yeah baby, I was 4 rows behind the yankees dugout. Hopefully I wasn't picking my nose. I was wearing my orange Alert Shirt I use for commuting. Obnoxious bright orange I was one of the fans really giving Teixeira a hard time. He could have been another local hero but sold out for the big bucks.....and to the yankees

Josh Heal up man.

HC203

Hey Josh, Scary stuff-glad you're okay. I feel guilty about our mini van, it being a gas guzzler, but very practical and capacious.

GB-Good on you for supporting an independent. Now here's a little contrast, a story my wife e-mailed me about Wall St. types who can't buy 18 k bike anymore. I'm so broken up.
https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/20...nd-cycling/?hp

Charlie-When you were riding by my house did you notice the Go Yankees sign next to the slow down sign? I actually root for the home team now that I live here but my son has a 5 foot Yankees logo on his wall. The paint keeps bubbling up as if the house is somehow repulsed by this. Hope there weren't too many New Yorkers in the house spoiling a good time. I saw a Twins game there last year and there were more Twins fans than O's fans. Must be a cheap flight on Southwest.

Rode to the gym today, spin, swim, and then home through Rob Lee.

greaterbrown

2 summer time bike trips

1. the fourth of July to OCMD trip: I am still very much on the schedule for this HOWEVER, I am not able to take friday the 3rd off as a bike day. the more I thought about it, the more I was thinking friday might be a bad day for biking anyway because of traffic. So, I'm planning a 5AM exit from B'more on the 4th to arrive in time to eat an entire pizza and watch the fireworks @ 9PM. I'd chill in OC on sunday and ride back monday.

2. there is a vintage/vintage-style bike show on June 5-7th in Leesburg VA that I am planning to go to called Cirque du Cyclisme. Coho Bicycles will be exhibiting and I'd like to ride to the show from B'more (about 70 miles). I'd leave at dawn on sat, get into town and hang out with the bikie set, drink beer, stay at a hotel, do the show sunday morning and scoot out of town no later than 3pm for a sundown arrival back home.

NR, I'm not sure how my OCMD schedule affects your current plan. Sorry for switching up. (work )
And...if anyone wants to share the hotel room for the Leesburg trip lemme know. -GB

NoRacer

Bummer. I have to leave Friday so that "G" and I can do a fast ride Saturday morning with folks in that area. I'm not sure what she may be cooking up for Sunday.

But, I think I want to leave on Monday morning, too.

balto charlie

No I did not. Had I seen it I would have yank it out. Harry, when teaching your kids to talk they should first say 'Mommy' then 'daddy' then "yankees suck". This should be their first full sentence.

greaterbrown

Wow. This is a side of Charlie I would not have guessed- rabid sports fan.
Charlie, before I recognized you on TV, I was thinking "geez, look at those crazy fans getting on Teixera's case. Wait a minute- I know that guy"
Your shirt was so bright it was making light flares around it on the TV.

The Human Car

I'm sort of on the fence with the OCMD trip. I am still at least 2mph slower then what I was even on the flats, so I would not want to slow anyone down, and if everyone did their own pace I would probably come in so late that it would not be much fun for anyone. At least before I though I had a chance of making it there for some conversation before everyone went to sleep now I am not so sure.

Another random thought is how about the group of us camping on the C&O for the Leesburg thing?

HC203

Well my little Yankees fan was born in NJ so his first words were "Go Yankees". I'm really not a big sports fan, watch a few games here and there. Watched the Nats lose to Marlins last night. Couldn't believe how empty the Marlins stadium was, 1/3 full.

The only thing I really watch with enthusiasm, when it's aired is bike racing. Incredible how little air time it gets in the states where as in Europe that are nuts about it. I can't seem to get figures out of my head, players getting 180 million dollar contracts, crazy. Many of the pro bike racers get very little, except of course people like Armstrong which is probably quite rare.

OC-Not sure if I'm doing it or not.my wife says she's not going to OC for the fourth, so most likely I am out if I want to do anything with my kids. Thinking about that 200 mile ride on the 11th.
https://www.total200.com/

greaterbrown

I thought about that too... for a little while. That ride looks like a real hammer fest. Not my style.

balto charlie

Actually, I use to be a fan. Since the '94 strike I don't follow baseball anymore(don't really follow football since Colts left). It truly is about the money. My brother(big sports fan) was in town and my B-in-law got tixs for us. I saw Teixeira as a problem that plague the sports world. When 150 million dollars for 7 years is not enough money....... I guess I unloaded on him, 15 years of frustration.
How many times did you see me?? Now I'm embarrassed. Alert shirt is really bright, people often shield their eyes when they approach me.
The best thing about greedy athletes is it freed up all of my wknds for biking and other outdoor pursuits
Harry: We're gonna let your kid slide due to his initial connections w/ NJ.


HOWEVER: Yankees still suck Some things never die.

NoRacer

Barry--it's only April. Don't give up.

Speaking for myself, I plan to keep the pace at "touring speed"--I cap my power at {x} watts on the iBike, except on the hills around the Susquehanna where I have no choice OR my heart rate at 148 bpm max with the same exception.

Usually, the harder direction is going to OCMD due to the winds from the south--usually.

Lunch will be in Middletown, DE whenever we get there.

Next we head to Odessa, DE to pick up Delaware Rt9. Much of Rt9 is desolate [but, imho, scenic for it's wetlands--Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Little Creek Wildlife Area, Ted Harvey Wildlife Area], so we really need to be careful about our liquids, because there will not be another chance to buy something during that section (after Odessa, DE all of the way until hitting a Valero gas station at Delaware Route 1).

Barry et al, if you want, you could stay with me at G's place. She said she'd be happy to put us up for the weekend. [She volunteered to house the entire Severna Park Peloton bike club contingent for our May 2-3 ride to and from OCMD starting and returning to Queenstown, MD, but I believe all of the others have opt'ed for a hotel room instead. I should call her for the status of that trip.]

The last time, I rode all of the way into OCMD, but G lives close to Fenwick Island, so we won't have quite as far to go before finding respite. Logistically, this is a little bit of a problem, because of having to bike into and out of OCMD proper for the fireworks display.

For the folks who are coming, we need to plan on a starting point, unless you just want to meet at my home and start from there. There's usually plenty of parking on my street, since most everyone has a driveway. Vandalism is usually not a problem in my neighborhood. Forewarning--my place is a pigsty.

If someone needs to be picked up, we can work something out for that, too.

Questions?

As a reminder of the route, here's the link (but deviate a little--like around Middletown or we could make it a little flatter by riding up to North East via Rising Sun--stuff like that).

https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...d-via-Delaware

The Human Car

Two events that I want to share and have passed around:

If you are new to road riding or to club riding I highly recommend the BBC’s 25th ANNUAL INSTRUCTIONAL RIDE SERIES

Know someone who would like to try bike riding but never learned or forgot how to ride? Then this is the class for them: Back to the Beginning Bike Clinic (B2BBC)

J.Lockdown

Anyone race in the Tyson's Corner Crit on Sunday?

NoRacer

I did not race it.

One of my male teammates came in second in the CAT 5 race. He was the only male teammate entered.

Five of my female teammates entered. The one CAT 3 female placed 6th in the Women's CAT 3 race. She placed lower in the Women's Pro/1/2/3 race.

The other women are CAT 4s. They placed 15th or lower in the Women's CAT 4 race.

greaterbrown

On this morning's commute:
I'm in the center turn lane approaching an intersection to make a left. A truck passes me on my right and I notice the driver has his middle finger flying my way and an angry grimace on his face. The driver pulls in front of me (with ample passing room). He stops at the red light. I accelerate up to the intersection and pull up behind the truck. More middle finger, more angry grimace. His window is down and I look at him in the mirror and say loudly:

"What's the deal dude? I'm just trying to make a left turn"

This seems to agitate him even more. More middle finger, more grimace, some mumbling.

I yell "geez, what's the problem, man"

At this, the guy is so agitated, he's pumping his middle finger my way so fast it's nearly a blur. He's rocking back and forth in the truck and his face is so twisted it's getting comical. I start laughing out loud.

Luckily the light turned green or I fear the guy might have exploded. I watched him still pumping his finger and freaking out as he pulled away from me after the left turn.

WEIRDO!

HC203

It's hard but I think you need to shrug it off. You never know what will set people off, could have been a wuss not willing to back up his finger pumping, or a crazy with a Glock.

I think the garbage truck theory applies. (picked from one of those obnoxious mass e-mails-but I thought it somewhat true) People are sometimes like garbage trucks, picking up garbage all day, all their lives, and they occasionally need to dump it. He was dumping on you. I'm always looking for a fight (big garbage truck)my problem- Yesterday while jogging down my street I nearly got run over. I'm trying very hard to try and ignore other peoples ignorance, but it's not easy. Getting to the point where every speeding car makes my blood boil. I can't change it so why get upset.


Everybody see Barry's post on Facebook for the Baltimore Bike Summit?

The Human Car

I think it's now officially the beginning of the biking season when drivers start freaking out on our emergence from hibernation. Two days ago coming home from shopping I got three honks and a right hook on Milford Mill between Reisterstown and the Metro stop. Drivers' hostility should die down in a few weeks but in the meantime be prepared.

I will also mention my favorite come back as it seems to be very effective at shutting down any and all cagers.

greaterbrown

there are driver interactions that get me flushed, but this was not one of them. I think this guy was on crank. If this dope had pulled a gun, he would've shot his own foot off.

"If you think I am doing something illegal call the police. If you take the law into your own hands, I call the police and you can end up in jail."

Uh oh. I think Barry just started a new thread within our little thread.

Comment: "Get on the sidewalk" My recent response: "Get on the highway"
Comment: "Get off the road" My response: "Get out of the loser lane"

Bring it. -GB

The Human Car

Harry, great post! Reminds me of a talk I had with Bob Moore. We were talking about riding in the city and how its not that bad. I agreed but mentioned that I am concerned about the discouragement that comes from motorists and the effect it has on people trying to bike for the first time. He said that sort of thing never happens to him. So on our ride down through the city we get a "Ride on the sidewalk", two prolonged honks and a close encounter of the swerve into cyclists kind. So I mentioned this at the end of the ride and he did not remember any of it! He was too busy enjoying the ride.

I think there is some great advice here, just don't take any negative stuff to heart, just enjoy the ride.


https://www.baltimorespokes.org/artic...90408234653812

J.Lockdown

Oh nice, yeah it was a nice finish in the Cat5 race. First place went off with a nice sprint in the last couple meter, was a good job. I was unable to stick around for the rest of the races, but heard their was 2 bad crash's in the Cat4 race. I ended up finishing 26 out of 41 in the Cat5 race, which was decent considering I had a cold all week before, still having some symptoms during the race, and it was my first race.

Come to think of it I am still sick, think I have bronchitis but have not gone to the doctors. Just been using a humidifier which has been helping slightly.

The Human Car

Is someone here up for this challenge?