mtalinm

WE'RE NOT WORTHY!

maintaining 32 on the flats is crazy fast.

jimmuller 

I had the (ahem) pleasure of riding with cmolway on sbp's Cow Tunnel Ride last year. Or rather, the pleasure of attempting to ride with. I assure you, cmolway is quite capable of doing 32mph uphill into a headwind.

godshammgod

It's easier for me to go faster when I don't look down at my speedometer. I definitely reach that point when I'll say ''30mph? I can't go that fast!'' Mind you this only happens with a tailwind going downhill....

It's been easier now since I took off the speedometer. Now if it hurts I know I'm going fast enough.

JandersUF

So I've done 4 days of the Tour of the Unattended so far. Its been very fun. And very challenging. There are some very fast riders; I'm just trying to finish NOT LAST. So far so good. Great way to push yourself. However, after 3 days of repeated timetrials, my legs started to give out today. I think tomorrow I might just implode/explode/die going up the last hill!

https://ridestudiocafe.com/studio-com...011-standings/

rholland1951

After a 2-day business trip (which left me thinking about the virtues of an airline-friendly folder), today's commute was welcome. Got to work 5 minutes ahead of a real frog strangler, started the return in a friendly drizzle that cleared up quickly. I guess a ride on Sunday is right out...

On the return, witnessed the near-death experience of another rider. He came barreling outbound at the Meriam Street Minuteman crossing in Lexington Center, without pause, on a collision course with a large, rapidly-moving SUV that was being similarly unconsciously driven. The SUV never slowed or deviated, the cyclist made a 90deg turn in milliseconds, riding parallel to the truck, before stopping. No helmet, and no detectable English (insofar as could be elicited by a brief attempt at conversation); I'm guessing he's a visitor, but who knows? It was close call.

rod

jimmuller 

Ooh, that's tough to read. Glad he turned out okay.

My rides today were uneventful, more or less. Since I caught an early train this morning I left the office early to catch an early train home. The air was humid this morning, and more humid and hotter that expected on the return but not too bad. Traffic was odd though, probably because of the odd hour. It was lighter than I usually experience but seemingly more random.

Since I had some time before the train I stopped at Union Cycles in Attleboro and picked up a brake cable and housing for the Peugeot.

rholland1951

Funny about that; there was a lot of antic manuevering on the Minuteman on tonight's ride home, mostly on the amusing end of the continuum between whimsical and dangerous. I've sometimes thought any consciousness of the weather affects the behavior of Massachusetts drivers: rain, snow, even too nice; seems this may extend to cyclists, too. When the weatherman tells us the sky is falling, some folks behave like Chicken Little. Irene has got us frisky...

rod

rholland1951

Interesting commute (E. Arlington to Bedford, 24-mile round-trip) today. The Minuteman Trail was carpeted with sticks and leaves, lots of crunchy stuff rapidly turning into mulch. Some of the woodier sections sounded like a bowling alley if you rode through them at any speed. On the outbound ride, there were 3 places on my route where the trail was completely blocked by fallen trees, and several others where one or the other lane was obstructed by branches. But a great deal had obviously already been cleared, I'm guessing by earlier commuters. By evening, the fallen trees that had been blocking the trail were cleared away. What was really wonderful (aside from the fine weather) were all the folks who were out: lots of cyclists, lots of walkers, and joyous spirits evident in many.

rod

jimmuller 

Today being a day I could work from home, I didn't do the trimodal commute. Instead I took a ride late in the afternoon over to Lexington, out to Bedford, and back. 24.75mi. It was beautiful day, wasn't it? I stopped and walked around through the Lecington farmers' market for a few minutes.

I can see how the MM would be a problem after the storm. Lots of debris, especially leaves and leaf bits, though not really an actual problem. A few trees on the ground and leaning over into the traffic areas just a bit.

About 5PM people start getting antsy, don't they? Not just the cars, the bikes too. I was glad to get home.

rholland1951

Serene commute today. Three things stood out:

1) The Running of the Bulls--the multilane interchange between Rt 62, Rt 3, and Crosby Drive--was merely interesting, like watching a "Wild Kingdom" episode about hyena society, rather than being actively alarming; no adrenaline, just tactically-considered lane changes.

2) My commute involves a stealthy crossing of the Shawsheen River on an ancient single-track right of way and relict bridge; had to negotiate passage with an on-coming cyclist. He: "This has never happened to me before." Me: "It's a good sign."

3) In Arlington, on Broadway, got passed by a little kid on a single-speed Mongoose, with coaster brakes and pegs on both axles. I laid back and watched him ride. He was standing on the pedals, executing manuevers in traffic that would not pass muster with Massbike, but pulling them off with street smarts and an intensity of focus that was admirable. Reminded me of my younger son at that age, on a similar bike. Hope for the future.

rod

bikinggrrrl

Part of Water Row and Plympton Road were closed today because of trees on electrical wires.

I am a little embarrassed and am in shock to report that I ran more miles than I cycled last week. I hate running but it is something I can do with an awake baby, which means I get the benefit of a napping baby to get other chores done later in the day. Cycling means I get my workout in while baby sleeps. Sorry I have been absent lately but I lurk all the time and enjoy reading of your adventures.

himespau 

and if your baby is like mine, a nice trip in the jogging stroller will knock them out for a little while.

rholland1951

While rolling to work this morning I was passed by an Arlington cop car with its lights flashing, its siren wailing, and its dog barking. Most excitement since Irene...

rod

jimmuller 

That didn't take long, did it?

rholland1951

Arlington: the excitement never stops.

rod

rholland1951

Hope the damage wasn't too severe there; it's a beautiful place.

rod

JandersUF

Did a nice 101 mile solo ride before work today; started south of town, hit over to the shore in Situate (sp), down to Plymouth, and back north a bit more inland. Beautiful weather for a long ride (and tasty soft-serve!)

jimmuller 

Danged impressive! What do you do for work, are you a mattress tester?

rholland1951

That sounds lovely!

I had an odd ride today (not a commute for a change). About a mile out, the Presta valve on my rear tire failed in a way I didn't know it could: valve core completly gone. After 3700 miles, I'm not sure it owed me anything, but the failure mode still surprised me. Swapped in the spare tube I had with me, then turned around and rode to Ball Square to buy a new spare tube and catch up with my LBS (Tyler, at Paramount Bicycle Repair). After that, took a quick ride out to Lexington and back, and got on with the rest of the day.

rod

jimmuller 

Hmmph. Once last year we went away for a few days and when we returned I found a Shraeder valve had popped off the tube. It just seems to have torn off the tube. Must have made a healthy bang in the empty house because it would have been pumped to around 110psi at the time.

Tomorrow I'm doing the bike commute thing again...

rholland1951

Things like that make cats nervous.

rod

sherbornpeddler

1/2 way through my version of a Jim Muller commute: I drove to NH, worked, then biked home through Hudson, Pelham, Lowell, Bruce Freeman to Westford, Carlisle, Concord, Sudbury, Wayland, Natick, Weston, Wellesley and Sherborn. Great Blue Heron, turkey, swan, hummingbird, and more along the route.
Now we'll see if I can get to work on time flying north.

rholland1951

How was the Lowell section of the route? Some great rides often have cities plunked down in the middle of them, and the best way through isn't always obvious.

rod

godshammgod

Nice 35ish mile ride to Gloucester today from Marblehead. Just about the longest ride I've done in a month. Legs actually felt pretty good. Tried to hit each hill hard, so I could make myself suffer a bit. I'm starting to feel healthy-ish again.

jimmuller 

Cool! You were talking about trying that last year, as I recall. Safe journey home this afternoon.

Good to hear!

The ride into work this morning was superb, or in Suntour-speak superbe! I'm going to run out of adjectives before September is done.

Edit in the evening: The afternoon's ride was indeed quite...help, I've run out of superlatives! Except for one thing. A few days ago I re-positioned and re-tensioned the old French leather saddle I'm still riding on my '72 UO8 commuter. It's mounted on a Simplex alloy seatpost, the kind with two transverse bolts to clamp it in place. I got about 2 miles from Attleboro and hit a bump and the rear of the saddle slid down. I tried re-positioning it but without a 12mm wrench I couldn't move it. Of course that made the saddle a threat my various personal male-defining components so I had to do the remaining 2 miles standing on the pedals. Every day's an adventure.