Took my new Duel Sport for an 18 mile ride this evening. It is certainly slower than my carbon road bike but fun none the less.

19 mile round trip today in my recurring role as a bike commuter.

First day this year it's been (sorta) warm, but a killer wind. 13.6 miles (21.9k). Definite wind tomorrow, might rain.

2017: 1,117m (1,798k)♂Total: 16,092m (25,898k)

31 miles on Greenway today on a beautiful day here in Raleigh. Did 26 miles on Monday on a considerably more windy day than today. On track for a good week!

First metric this year. 63.9 miles

21.5 miles on the hilly route. Overshot my goal of 10 mph on the steepest climbing segment -- I'd struggled to maintain 7-9 mph and figured 10 mph was realistic, but rode that segment at 11.4 mph Wednesday. And set personal records for several hilly segments that had defied me for months. Helped by cool weather and unusually calm day, no headwinds, and just a bit of 5 mph tailwind on a couple of segments.

AGAIN, wicked winds, what a workout, 61 miles, whipped!

Maiden voyage for my new Colnago CRS. I got all the measurements from my Colnago Ace transferred yesterday and wanted to do at least 60 miles and have at least a 4 hour ride to see if the CRS fits as well as the Ace. Mission accomplished! 60 miles with my buddy Frankie.

That's a great looking Colnago! They're nice looking. I like 'em.


I road today on "Blacki", my Roubaix. 30 miles. Perfect weather. Chili-dog and ice cream at the turnaround point.

Gorgeous bike, John! Love the color scheme! It's too pretty to ride, though ��.

Oh, I just did a measly 35miles in very heavy, persistent 18 mph winds. On the brutal return, some joker ran a red light BAD (only one of two traffic lights on the route) and could have easily killed me, so please folks ride defensively.

Another bike to work day today. 21 miles.

16.2 miles with a friend to check out a newly designed bike route, then a snack stop on the front lawn of a beautiful historic mansion, then for giggles and laughs some side trips just to see "stuff", then back to the start. Talked non-stop the entire time. It was the perfect day - sunny, bright, cool, and NO wind at all except for what we made roaring down the hills. Had a BLAST. :) Then home to do a short ride on Fat Pony. He spent more time standing in the gravel road, nodding off, while I yakked with neighbors along the way. I think we did about 1 mile, all at a walk, and it took us 1 hour. He worked off (maybe) 20 calories. I, on the other hand, worked off about 1,000 sweat-pouring-off-my-face calories just trimming his front feet and then nailing on front shoes before we left the barn. My back is letting me know at the moment that it was NOT amused by the workout. My knee is joining the chorus - it doesn't want to be left out of me knowing it didn't appreciate all the hills on the bike route today. Ah well. By tomorrow morning both will have forgotten any pain ever happened.:D

Wednesday, 4/12:
Weight training
Stationary bike: 22 min., 7.3 miles


This morning (4/14):
Weight training
Treadmill run: 12 min., 1 mile. Slow and short, but the first run in a LONG-A$$ time due to arthritis in both ankles. YAY!!
Stationary bike: 10 min., 3.1 miles (or, well, 5K)


Tomorrow morning: ROAD RIDE!!

40 windy miles with my buddy Frank C. Still trying to tweak the CRS a little more and have decided that I really do need a longer stem. It was OK yesterday when we did a slower ride but it causes me to stiffen my arms when riding in the drops. I also started noticing a clicking sound today and it happens only while pedaling. I guess I'll be riding the Ace for a few days until I can get the CRS to the shop.

Rain and wind and tooth pulled yesterday. 19.8 miles (31.9k) today, sunny but cold, some wind. Weekend should be rideable.
BTW, John_V, beautiful bike!

2017: 1,137m (1,830k)♂Total: 16,125m (25,951k)

15 leisurely miles on a lovely Friday evening. Took a portable shortwave radio to an elevated area away from most electrical interfere to listen for awhile without the usual heavy suburban static. A sheriff's deputy stopped to see what I was doing -- I was sitting on a curb just off the main road, at a construction project so he may have been investigating a complaint about trespassing, but he he didn't make an issue of it. Had a nice chat. Turns out he's a mountain biker.

the radio probably piqued his interest too, huh?

The air seemed really cold this morning, gauge said 40° but felt colder. Sunny, very lite breeze, 22 miles (35.4k). Doubled up on a short section just to get a couple extra miles since about 3 miles (down and back) is still cut off by flooding.

2017: 1,159m (1,865k)♂Total: 16,147m (25,987k)

Friday evening a quick 7 mile ride before dinner on the ti bike. Shouldn't be but amazing how much zippier this not-terriblly-light bike (28 lbs) is compared to the steel version (35 lbs) of the same model that I use as my commuter bike.

Today - 36 miles on the Screamer on a club ride. Longest ride of the year so far, tandem or otherwise. Windy, which provided the occasional tailwind.

Just felt like calling it quits so back to the house with 67 miles when I entered the driveway.

Just got back home from a nice 14.45 mile ride from my house in the western suburbs of Richmond, VA out to the big West Creek Pkwy business complex out towards Goochland County. EVERYBODY rides bicycles inside West Creek, as it's just a big horseshoe shape off Route 6 (Patterson Ave), and out 'n back is 6 miles. People go in their with their high tech CF Cannondale, S-Works, Trek, etc... and ride lap after lap after lap. I prefer to throw it out there "old school style" on a 32 year old '85 Fuji road bike! On this particular afternoon, I decided to crank down on it, and believe it or not, the looks I must have gotten from the others, as here was some middle aged guy keeping right up with them (..and in some spots, overtaking them!). It was awesome! 14.45 miles in 50:16 for an avg speed of 17.25 mph!!! :thumb:

Here is a view looking at the end of West Creek Pkwy (at the end of the horseshoe shape) looking at Patterson Ave (Route 6):

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...pso7ed8gob.jpg


And here is a view from within West Creek Pkwy, nearing the big 288 Expressway overpass. I had to carefully rest my handlebars on the wooden sign post, so my old Fuji wouldn't roll backwards! :o

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...pszj3zbrsx.jpg

Another brutally windy ride on an otherwise gorgeous day. Got in a hard fought, 61 mile ride, on the Ace, with my buddy Frankie. Good thing I didn't take the new CRS; not having aerobars on it would have killed me in the headwinds.

Spring is trying to break through. Hazy sunshine and cool temps for 19.6 miles (31.5k). More rain coming (to the desert) tomorrow, but by next Saturday it should be in the 70s.

2017: 1,759m (1,897k)♂Total: 16,167m (26,018k)


The traditional act of painting eggs is called Pysanka.

I'm not sure he noticed the little portable, although the whip antenna was still extended when he pulled up. In part he was wondering whether I'd had a flat or other mechanical problem because I was sitting on the curb fiddling with my helmet, trying to attach a small USB battery to the helmet mounted video camera.

I have been scouting for a quiet location to toss up an external antenna and bring my better receiver for more serious listening. But there ain't many trees even as tall as a utility pole around here to get some wire in the air.

Here's a video clip from Friday evening's ride with the radio. I'm not quite set up yet to actually ride while listening, but I might get that figured out too. A smaller, lighter portable might help -- the Panasonic is pretty heavy for such a small radio. Solidly made, with an aluminum grille.

oh haha interesting. back before we had cable tv & when son got more interested in baseball I got a higher quality am radio (sw too) that took external antennas. being just far enough from Boston reception was kinda bad. but when I rigged up the better radio plus antenna & ground wire we had success. we live in a 3 story townhouse style condo on a hill. his room was on the top floor. experimenting w antennas is fun