Hi, guys, I'm still alive. My work hours lately have been long and unpredictable; riding my bike in has been a lifesaver -- I know, no matter how the day goes, that I'll get at least *some* exercise in, even if it is just 20 miles, split into two rides. Unfortunately, a project I'm on has been requiring me to make a lot of trips to DC for meetings, so I can't ride in on those days. But the light at the end of that particular tunnel is rapidly approaching, YAY!

Not too long ago, I finally put the Airborne up on the stand and gave it a thorough cleaning -- I had been doing the "la la la la, fingers in the ears" thing about how filthy it was getting, so when I finally took a close look, I was truly horrified!! Poor bike. So, of course, the next day, the roads were still wet, and I didn't want to take it out -- I rode the 520 instead!

I was always kind of obsessive about logging miles (and various other metrics) of virtually every ride I did, but since about late last summer, I've just been meandering around as I feel like it -- sometimes I didn't even put the computer on the bike! But maybe now, in honor of the impending warm weather or something, I'll start tracking things again.

For those who are interested, I've added three links to pictures taken during the Jefferson Cup Road Race by three different folks to my earlier post, located here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...postcount=3690

Thanks but they are too thick. I "forced" those onto my brakes last time. They worked but I think they resulted in screwing up my front brake. By the way I did fix my brake just as I was going to order new ones.

GB Try adjusting your seat either higher &/or further back from the handlebars. Usually front knee pain is a result of a low seat &/or a seat to far forward. The only people that might suggest the fixie as the problem are the old guys. They just can't hack those bikes.
That's the pad I wanted. I wonder why Velo doesn't offer. I wonder if they take back refunds. I bought 2 sets. So much for trying to keep the $$ local. The only people getting rich is UPS
MAx I hear ya on the odo. I haven't used one for 6 months. I do get curious at times as to how far I ride.
Do to my brake iussues on my touring/commuter I have beenn riding and loving my old roadie Shogun bike with mustache handlebars. Rather light and responsive but no fenders. Could be an issue this evening.
How stoopid am I you ask: This week while riding to work I realized that I forgot my pannier at MARC train station. I turned around and rode like....NR.... As I neared the station I realized that I was using a messenger bag and not my pannier. I had my meesenger bag over my shoulder

On Tuesday's commute as I was approaching the gate I was flipping about what I had done with my badge (which is kind of a big deal where I work ) . . . it was hanging around my neck.

But I'm old. So there.

Hey there all, I did get in 13 miles yesterday, kinda taking a nice slow ride in to the inlaws, every once and a while is feels good to take it slow instead of watching my avg mph and trying to get places faster than last time.

Also one more thing, I was a target in middle river and found some flashlights on clearance, they had a 3 watt cree headlamp for $8 and it included 2 Cr123a batteries, so I got one. Now that I'm home I compared it to my 5 Watt flashlight, claimed 200 lumen. It appears brighter and a much tighter beam. It is also brighter than my P7 on low. and it looks easily upgraded,. If anyone wants beamshots or pics speak up. Really good light for the money.

And one more thing, If I can get a sitter lined up for sunday I might go out MTB @ patapsco w/a friend from work, if anyone wants to go???

Anyone up for riding with me to Mt. View Middle School on Saturday to do Janet G's BBC ride?

VZNavigator has me going out Route 40->Marriotsville Rd->Old Frederick Rd->Woodford Dr

Does this route sound plausible?

Your biggest problem is route 40 west of town. After MLK blvd rt40 takes the old rt.70 highway lanes and goes up to 60mph. Then further west nearing the beltway the traffic near the malls is gonna drive you nuts. As far as eastside goes, I'm sure you'd be fine coming across Orleans/rt.40, but there are more pleasant ways.

See this: https://tinyurl.com/NRtoMTView
(sorry, I just realized it's in reverse direction, but you get the idea)

Thanks, GB, but I got an error:

Usually tinyurl reassign a different name to the URL you supply to it--something like https://tinyurl.com/jwushb

Are you changing the URL's name supplied after tinyURL does it's thing?

This is really a thing with me this week, isn't it?

No, I def. don't change the url. This one works fine for me actually. (I tried two different browsers)
Here is the original though. https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,0.585022&z=11

Tinyurl gives the user an option of making your own url. I did that in this case. Not sure why it's not working. BTW the yahoo file link problem was a dynamically changing yahoo address, not a tinyurl issue.

The direct URL for Google Maps worked perfectly well for me. Thanks for the input. I will hold it in high regard.

EDIT - Looks like the tinyURL link is working too! :scratch head:

Does anybody know how Old Court Rd is riding all the way from Falls Rd. out through Pikesville? I doubt I can do that ride, baseball practice, house projects etc. I will be riding though.

FYI-I just signed my son Evan and I up for Ride For The feast, it's a 140 mile charity ride from Rehoboth Beach to the Bay Bridge. Next day we are shuttled across the bay and do another 40 into the city to the home base of the charity. I did this back in 07 with my son Ian on the tandem, so doing it now with my middle son. Ian and mom will be volunteering at the rest stops. The charity provides meals for home bound people with aids or breast cancer, and usually living in unbelievable poverty. We'll be having a big fund raising party at my home, kegger, food, music. I'll be sure to send out an invite to the fine folks here at Bike Forums. My son and I constitute a team so if you're interested in doing the ride the more the merrier.

So I just did a 20 mile lunch ride out to Loch Raven and back and my BB issues are back, two miles in and creaking like crazy. I noticed that my cassette is oscilating slightly and wondering if I maybe have an axle issue that is causing the crank to oscilate as well stressing the frame. Long shot? I plan on pulling that wheel off and trying to do a few things before bringing it back to Joes. I watched a video where they stress the crap out of teh Madone frame so I doubt that the frame is cracked, supposed to be bomb proof.

Old court is okay from Falls to Park Heights. It gets a bit more hectic on both sides of Reisterstown, then calms down a bit as you get out toward marriottsville rd.

As far as frame creakings- you might have rear axle probs if the cassette is wobbly, but that is not going to move the crank. See if this helps: https://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

Hey, GB, I have another idea for you, regarding your knee, that you may be able to do right away.

Video--get your wife to video you riding, both coming and going and from each side. Afterward, review the video looking for anything strange you may be doing with your legs. Check both legs, because it could be a compensation thing.

Make sure you don't try to be in your best form--ride naturally.

Anyway, this is a cheap and easy way to get some information about your pedaling before having to spend $$$ on a pro analysis.

You mean take the video equipment out of the bedroom?

No, but really, I like that idea. I attempted to get a quick referral to an ortho doc today, but no luck. My family doc wants X-rays to rule out arthritis. That is almost certainly a waste of time. From everything I've read this seems to be a classic case of irritation of the tissues under the patella from the patella not "tracking" correctly. Causes of that are 1. bike fit (might be true in my case, but I doubt it) 2. uneven muscular development- if your quads build up too quickly they can pull the patella out of alignment because the neighboring muscles are weak in comparison. 3. uneven pedaling stroke/compensation probs.

I'm sure i'm looking at causes 2. and/or 3. Regardless, my knee is annoyed at me so I'll give it a rest.
Therefore, I will cancel/reschedule my BBC ride this sunday.

The route and cue are nice and clean. I rode both top and bottom 100Ks within the last month. It's a very fun ride, but it's quite hilly and a bad idea to ride on a grumpy knee. The cue sheet is up on cue sheet central so if anyone would like to ride it on sunday, you should.

Here's the description and link to the cue:

15-17 mph - 8:00 am - 125 mi START: Mt Washington Starbucks
April Rando-Ramble: 'Robert E Lee's Double Cross' Get your base miles in early this spring. A 200K with a 100K option. Ride heads up through Balt Co. through Phoenix. A rest at Wally's is the turn around for 100K riders. The real rando-riders proceed north up into PA. A lunch/regroup in New Freedom then south into the Pretty Boy valley. The start has easy parking, is near Light Rail and Mt. Washington Tavern for beers after. :-) All pace. Leader: Bob Wagner
READ THIS BEFORE RIDING- https://tinyurl.com/RandoRideNotes
Ride cue: https://cuesheetcentral.com/uploads/R...oubleCross.pdf

I'm going to disagree a bit here, while I'll ride all of Old Court early Sat and Sun mornings before what I attribute to coffee irritability kicks in with drivers other times I'll do something like this:

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,0.154495&z=13

If you do ride Old Court be extra vigilant with commanding the lane, visibility and sight lines (when the road bears right be in the left hand tire track for a bit to improve sight lines) motorists are not really used to seeing cyclists on that stretch.

Man I wish I was up for that ride. I did do 80+ miles on Monday to Annapolis and back, averaged 12.2 mph so slowly I am getting faster and doing more but I can get really exhausted the next day if I end up tackling a bit more then what I am ready for.

Carbon is freaky. The creaks in the frame are like leaks in a house, the sound comes from nowhere near where the problem is. I tried to isolate my creak by removing items like water bottle cages, pedals, etc. I had a suspicion that it was coming from the rear wheel so I put on another wheel and ding that seems to be it. Not sure why that wheel is an issue, pulled the axle, doesn't seem bent or anything, put it back together and the creak seems to be gone. I'll have to get out for a rain ride today and see.
GB-Thanks for that link, helped me understand the mysteries of creaks, pings, clicks, and groans.

I had a creak like that once. It came from how I had the QR locked. I released the QR making sure that the wheel was centered and locked it back down. Creak gone.

A mistake some people make (including myself at one time) is using the QR like a wing nut. After locking it down, they give it a little clockwise turn to "tighten it down more".

@GB

I printed out your directions for getting to Marriotsville and several zoomed in segments of the map. Man, what a convoluted (imho) way to go west out of the city!

The city really needs a straighter way for bicycles to escape west.

Yes, I had looked at making sure my wheels were properly seated in teh dropouts. This was a loud MF sound. I think the cassette or that spindle the cassette slides onto was misaligned or something. I'm pretty sure the creak is gone but won't know for sure until I get out. I had to deal with the the creak the whole ride yesterday out at Loch Raven. Not sure if it hindered my progress mechanically but certainly psychologically. Love that Morgan Mill Rd. climb.

That Bike Jam cat 5 sold out quick. I may ride down there to take part in the festivities and watch the races.

Try Eastern to Lombard to Baltimore(might be one way) to Frederick(rt 144) right on Sandhill. Sketchy around Fulton/Frederick, traffiky at Rt 144 and Rt 40merge but last only 100 yards. Rt 144 merges w/ RT40 then separates off a short distance later and you'll have you own shoulder. Ride is fairly flat until you hit Patapsco valley area but the hills on Rt144 a nice rollers. AND you won't need a Q sheet. GBs is more scenic though but this is a ride to a ride, No?

You're not kidding!
NR, use my route at your own risk. I was being really quick when I "sketched" it. And, of course, it's running from west to east so some of the routing might be wonky. Charlie's right, my route is convoluted, but scenic. His, more direct.

50MPH gusts. I am waiting with bated breath for ride reports today. We've got randonneur fleche rides in VA and I'll bet you one of Charlie's IPAs that NR is out for a long one in this wind. All the BBC rides were cancelled.

As I was driving Betty into work this morning I was thinking that riding in this looked like a an awful lot of fun.

Lots of rides were canceled this morning. I'm too wussy to brave it.

So who road today? (From wussy #2)

I notice that NR is tearing up the B&A trail today. I didn't see any red dots in the Severn river, so I guess he made it safely over the bridge.

Frame shop's mighty slow today. I was shirking my duties and made this:
https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/271865