FANY '09 The start of a exciting week ahead

Why is it just before an out of town trip, everyone needs something done beforehand that just can't wait. Well that was the week before FANY for me. People came out of the woodwork this week....Murphy's law I guess...... It's great to be busy...

Right up to until I got home around 2:30pm on Saturday ( 30 minutes after tentative departure time) I was putting together offers and counteroffers. When I did finally arrive home not a single thing was packed. Having packed for numerous other week long cycling adventures, I was packed and everything in the car in less than 1 hour. Robyn and Riley where there to shuttle me to Niagara Falls. We arrived a little before 5pm, and somehow beat the buses from Saratoga in. My favorite spot. atop the knoll. was still available, so I hoofed everything up and set up the first nights camp, with great help from Riley.

It is always comical to watch the buses arrive and everyone try to stake out their domain. It goes from sparsely populated to what looks like an invasion of ants at a picnic. What makes this grand entrance enjoyable is to renew old acquaintances from past years,The likes of Poughkeepsie (Steve) with his son, riders I had seen at GFLBT, and meet new riders for this year. Just behind me were two jolly campers wrestling with a brand new out-of-the-box tent on their very first week long cycling adventure. Little did they know what was in store fore them, So I offered a little guidance. After a few good laughs and a couple of quick pointers these two ladies had erected Home Sweet Home. I won't even bring up the fact that these two conniving women bribed me with oatmeal raisin cookies !!!!! Imagine that, bribe me with cookies!!!! To think that by Monday night to Janet and Diane,
would be able to assemble this tent in less than 2 minutes . Little did any of us realize at the time, this would be the start of one hilarious adventure .... exactly what FANY is all about.

Another happy camper (FANY newbie) camping along side Diana & Janet is Amy. She has been on a shorter cycling trip earlier in the year and had her camp all set. In conversations Amy mentioned some knee discomfort which sounded like a poor bike fit. The last thing one wants is 500 miles in pain. After observing her bike fit I made a few adjustments that seemed to work well for her. We had decided to visit the falls in the morning, then head out to Brockport. This way we could stretch a 90 mile ride into century on the first day.

Sunday morning arrives, dry and tailwinds in the forecast...... a grand departure from last years watery ride. There are 6 of us that went to the Falls, Bob, Karl, Janet, Diana Amy and myself. I don't think any of the girls have seen the Falls before, so it was impressive to them. The American Falls did not have the misting problem that has beset the Canadian Falls the past few years. After a photo op, it was off to a little dinner Tom Gange turned me on to last year for Breakfast in Lewiston NY. Nothing like a huge fating carb loading breakfast of Pancakes smoothed in syrup to start off the ride.

Now I've always been terrible at remembering names, tho I hardly ever forget a face or details about someone. Why would this day be any different. Some how many of us achieve nicknames, not by choice , yet by a funny happenstance. I couldn't remember Diana's name to save my life, so she tried to come up with a little word association for me.... She said it's Diana...like the Princess Diana ..... Well that made it real easy for me...she is now and forever will be known as "Princess".

Well let me tell you Janet and Princess are both good strong riders. They both compete in Triathlons. My hats off to them. Me.... I swim like a brick, and do not run at all, yet these two relish the challenge. I have volunteered to assist them by being there cheering squad. It's dark and dirty, but some has to spectate these events...so I will accept that dastardly deed!

What a difference a year makes. With nice gentle tailwinds, we meandered along the first 30 miles with no effort at all. With 6 people of various riding levels we were able to find a pace that seemed comfortable for all. Everyone was able to chat and learn about each other. This was also the beginning of some great light hearten ribbing. No one was excluded, and everyone was involved.

One of this years FANY goals was to ride at a more relaxed pace, sight see more, mingle with other riders. Last year with all the rain, the objective was to ride hard each day so I get to camp ASAP, and brace for the elements. With Sunny skies...lets enjoy. As we leave the Falls, its a pleasant ride along the river. To our right are large homes and mansions, to our left is Canada(eh)for tomorrows ride. We stopped in Olcott, NY, were you could see Toronto across the lake .There also is a unique boardwalk of little shoppe's, and a park with amusement rides. After we left Olcott, Bob and Amy were slowing a bit, with Princess and Janet still feeling frisky, they move on with Karl in tow.

Our next stop is Golden State Park, where a lighthouse was built back in the 1830's. Also called 30 mile point (for it's distance from the mouth of the Niagara). This is about 1/2 way for the day. The State gives tours here, so we took one. You can rent this by the night or week if your looking for a quaint B&B.

Now it is time to turn south and start what will be the 6 1/2 days of climbing...YIPPIEEEEE....As we make our turn there are 2 young ladies offering up some Lemonade. They have been doing this for a few years now. Sure won't find a nicer sag stop for the day. We start to pass through some quaint little towns , like Lyndonville and Medina. This area offers many cobblestone houses. These are built with the small fist sized stones that grow so plentiful here in the fields. Medina is a canal town. Sits along the banks of the Erie Canal. Lunch is at a neat pizza shoppe right on the main four corners. These are huge slices and we are famished.

As we ride parallel to the canal for the rest of the day. Passing through a couple of more canal towns, Albion and Holley. In Albion I stop for a natural, and let Bob and Amy go ahead Figuring that I can stretch it out to chase them down. Well I come flying through the four corners of Albion, and do not see them off to my right( they made one of many bonus turns we all will make in the next 7 days). I keep going about 3 miles then realize they must have stopped, otherwise I would have caught them by now. Being less than 15 miles from the end, I decide to keep hammering to Brockport. Sure did feel good to stretch it out. Arriving in Brockport I still need 5 miles to complete a century, so I circle around the college, and parts of the village before ending at the Exempts, A fireman's club that will be our home for the night. Real tough digs here, there is an American Legion next door that invites us in for some much need recovery drink(HOPS). With camp set up and a full belly from dinner and the legion, it is time to nod out and rest up for tomorrows ride.

First Days Ride
From: Niagara Falls To Brockport
Miles: 100.49
Ascent: 1932 Ft

Last minute rush

Of course as the time draws near for the start of the FANY ride, all heck has broke loose.....
Trying to tie up loose ends in the biz world will take me right up to scheduled departure time.
Look for more when I return....... in 7 days

On a bitter sweet note, Friday was dedicated to Francis Dixon...Our dear charming aunt Fran. Who passed away earlier this week. Mom and I went to Toronto Friday, to represent her "Yankee Thanksgiving". Yes we truly are thankful for all the joy she brought us. We did meet many from her fabulous family, and friends that I had not meet previously.

FANY UP

This Saturday starts my 3rd annual 500 mile bicycle ride across NY State.

The Great Big FANY Ride...!

This year the ride goes right through beautiful Downtown LeRoy on Monday...

Stay tuned for my post ride reports.....

Weekend de Cure

This past weekend was dedicated as my weekend de cures. I participated in both the Buffalo - Niagara (Saturday) and the Rochester (Sunday) Tour de Cures. In both events I rode the century(100 miles). This is my second attempt at ride a century in successive days. The first being a successful TOSRV, one month earlier. There are numerous rides that raise money for various causes, this is one I happened on in 2005, and also the only one I raise money for.

One of the reasons I started riding in the summer of 2004, I had started (OK... OK I was well on my way) to getting fat gain a massive amount of weight. Unfortunately that put me at high risk for Diabetes. My doctor began to scold inform me about the dangers of diabetes. My blood sugar levels were at that point in time were elevated. It took a few years but I now have normal levels and have made small gains in the battle of the bulge.

So it was very early, on a cool June morning I head off to Niagara Community College to Ride the Buffalo - Niagara regions TDC. This is a fund raising event for the national organization. There is a $150.00 minimum that each rider must raise, seeing as I participated in 2 events, that ups my minimum to $300.00. With the tremendous support from many friends, family and colleagues, I did meet these goals. A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL.

Arriving at NCC, I proceed to the check in, then the start area. With a big hoopla we are off. This course is relatively flat. It starts out meandering towards Old Fort Niagara. In the beginning I hook up with the lead group, and these boys are hammering. I manage to hang with them for the first 27 miles before I'm spit out the back of the pace line. We cover that distance in 1h 9m., now that's moving right along. One of the great features of this ride is there are marshals at every intersection, stopping traffic so we riders did not have to stop. Gives you the feeling that we are in one of the major races/ ours held with the big boys !!! The next 30 miles follow the coast line of Lake Ontario with a slight tailwind this is a nice stroll. I have ridden this route many times, yet always enjoy the sights. At the 50 mile mark, there is a rest stop at Golden State Park. This is a beautiful little state park that has a lighthouse there that was built in the mid 1800's. Also in true TDC flair, lunch is served. Originally I felt that leaving Golden State Park by 11:30am would put me on a very good pace for the day. Well I'm out of there before 10:15.......

Having reached the lowest elevation point of the day, its time to start working a little harder. Not only is there a slight uphill climb for the next 50 miles, the tailwinds have become headwinds. Seems all I've ridden in this spring has been nasty headwinds. I hook up with another pace line that is a more reasonable speed. We start clicking off miles ...then disaster strikes. One of the riders made some type of mistake, and flipped ass over teakettle. Landed squarely on his back, and destroyed his helmet. I cannot stress enough the need to where a helmet when you ride. Especially after witnessing this crash. The rider was dazed and in a mild shock, having suffered a mild concussion. Who knows how more severe this would be if not for the helmet. One of the great benefits of organized rides is the abundance of SAG (support and gear), and medical help. A SAG wagon happened upon us within 3 minutes of the crash, and took the rider to the next SAG stop in Royalton. I did see this rider in Royalton, and he was overall ok(nothing broken) he was very , very sore and had a massive headache.

Next on to Rapids fire hall, where I had to wait out tornado warnings last year. Nothing of the sort this year. We are blessed with sunny skies, cool temps. I meet a rider there who was sporting a TOSRV jersey from 2007. He is shaped like how I was two years ago and pretty tired.I invite him to draft me the rest of the way. So I pull him the last 20 miles. There is a huge difference being in someones draft. You use 40% less energy and power sitting behind another rider out of the wind. There are a couple of bumps we go over, then arrive at NCC for the finish, complete with music, food, and a beer & wine garden. A pretty good ride overall, my time is a personal best for a century at 5h47m.







Sunday Morning comes a little to quick. I'm a little sluggish getting up, yet my legs feel good and ready for an adventure. Today's ride starts and ends at Mendon Ponds Park. Cheryl and I arrive , get the bikes ready, then check in. She will be riding the metric(100 Kilometers...62.25.miles) and me, the century. The same hoopla as yesterday sends us off on our way. Charyl's route heads off in a different direction at first, then with routes merge on and off for the duration. The route heads thru Rush to the Genesse river , then turns south. We meet up at the rest stop near Avon, 26 miles in. Then ride together to the first climb after that we separate and ride at our own pace. Now we are in the area where I train often. West of the river , south of RT 20. In Genesseo, there is a steep climb up into the College. Then a pleasant ride north on RT 39 to Avon, were the Avon FD always makes you feel so welcome. After this I turn south on Pole Bridge Rd. This is a new road added this year. I liked it tho others complained bitterly. Pole Bridge keeps rising, and rising, and rising. There are 3 short steep (over 10%grade) climbs that really grab your attention.Once you reach Rt20A, its a quick decent into Lakeville, where lunch is served. I must say Buffalo has better road Marshals, but Rochester has the best food of any ride. Tom Wahls had fantastic wraps and salads for all. Now time for a spin around Conesus Lake. I stop back in Lakeville and top off with water,for there are only 30 miles left, and I fell pretty good so this is my last planned stop. It's basically down hill to Avon, and a slight tailwind. This makes for a good pace. Coming out of Avon, there is a climb where the DEC is located. A few where struggling up this. This is also where the 40 & 62 mile routes join together for the finally push back to Mendon Ponds. The 40 mile rides have a large variety of bikes. there are many comfort, mountain bike types, a few Walmart specials mixed in. There are two hefty climbs after Honeoye Falls, on Clover St, just before the new traffic circle at 251. It takes a little more than usual to get over these, but that's expected seeing as I'm nearing 190 miles in two days.

Mendon Ponds Park is a welcome site. There is the same Hoopla as yesterday at the finish, along with live bands and dinner catered by Outback Steakhouse. Like I mentioned earlier...Rochester sure knows how to put on the feedbag.

Time for the ride 6H27m
Total miles for the weekend...103.6m
Total time.........................11h14m
Total elevation .................6726 ft
Not bad for an old fart

Well I was able to complete another double century in consecutive days, and raise a fair amount of money for a good cause. This is the only time each year I solicit donations for a ride. I feel it is unfair to all to be asked a couple times a year for funds. I know I would grow tired of it if someone asked me 3-4 times a year for charity fund raisers.

Tale of two rides.
Niagara Falls Profile.
Elevation gain 1960 ft


Rochester Profile
Elevation gain 4766 ft



I would like to once again thank all who contributed to these rides, and hope that you will continue to support me in the up coming years.

TOSRV

I have wanted to do Tour of the Scoito River Vally (TOSRV) for the past few years but felt intimidated by the double century. That's 100 miles on both Saturday and Sunday. 200 miles in two days...piece of cake...Right! It seems the only way to commit to a ride like this is send in the registration monies,. Because I'm to frugal to send in the money and not participate, I registered for this in March, which means I'm commit ed now.

Setting sail mid morning on Friday May 8th, my biggest concern was the weather. At home the past few weeks, we have had a cool , wet , windy spell. The forecast for the Columbus area was no rain, but windy and cool. It rained on and off most of the way down. I had hopped to stop in Dayton to see Rachel and Jason, but they had an offer they couldn't refuse. There choices were to stay home and spend a glorious evening with me, or go to Key West, Fla, and suffer terribly with warmth, sunshine, and white beaches....I just don't understand why they would pick Key West over me...Oh well their loss ;) ...!!!!!

Arriving in Columbus around 5p, I headed over to the Downtown Marriott, were the registration packets were available for pick up, then went over to the YMCA, a few blocks north of there to sign up for my digs for the night. They offered floor space, and about 100 riders took advantage of this. We did have full use of their gym and other facilities. It is quite a complex in the middle of downtown Columbus. I found an upscale sports bar, ate dinner then back to the YMCA.

Saturday morning arrives early, with the rustling of riders getting ready to head out. I'm all packed and dropped off my bag to the luggage trucks before 7am. A quick ride around the block, and I'm off.

The ride is basically 104 miles due south From Columbus ,OH., to Portsmouth, OH. We stay in the Scoita River valley all the way. The Scoito River drains south into the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. this made Saturdays ride was a slight down hill, with a few bumps along the way.
This being the 48th version of this event, the organizers have this pretty well in hand. The knock on the ride is the mid spring weather...you never know what you will get until the day arrives.

Early in morning , sky's looked promising, and the SW winds were slight. On the way out of Columbus, I hook up with acouple of guys from W.Virginia, and we moved right along to the first sag stop. There are 4 sags spaced every 25 miles. The pace was high teens. Pace lines are formed and dropped all along the route. You don't even need a map with 2600 riders here, your never out of sight of someone. At the first sag I fuel up, then set out again.

This time a much more leisurely pace. I hook up with a couple guys from Dayton, and we meander on. It's now mid morning and the winds are starting to pick up. For the rest of the day I battles SW winds in the 15-20 mph range, with a few gusts that actually move the bike sideways a few inches. There's a thrill for you! The terrain has remained small rollers, with the elevation decreasing ever so slightly as we head downstream to the Ohio River.

Chillicothe. Ohio is sag #2 is all set up for lunch, It is quite a sight, to see so many cyclist's and cycles milling about. This is also the starting point for the 1/2 TOSRV. With a full belly I'm off again. The winds are so enjoyable ... Yet there is a respite, for this is where we enter the infamous "Hill" section. For the next 10 miles we encounter a few rollers similar to what I ride in at home. Unfortunately, most of the local riders (read FLATLANDERS),these are real mountains to them. A young gentleman I spoke with at the previous sag, told me how much he hates hills because it slows him down to 9 mph. As I motored passed this rider going up every small rise ...he was well below 9mpg, mashing his pedals, and whining. I never did see him again, there were a few tougher ones along the way. It was the winds that made this more challenging. As you ducked behind a grove of trees, or an embankment, there was a reprieve. As soon as you came out into the open, you were slammed with what felt like a brick wall. So much for the high teens average set in the first 20 miles. I did hook up with a young couple from Columbus and we work together most of the next 20 miles.

Sag #3, is at a cute little park overlooking Lake White State Park, a man made lake. Of course this is 75 miles into the ride and the actual sag stop is Atop a little rise 100 steps UP, well worth the climb. Great for loosing up tight calf muscles.

Now it's on to the finish of day 1. The winds are relentless, but the end is near. As I enter Portsmouth, I see a couple of Fantastic murals painted on some walls. After 48 years Portsmouth welcomes with open arms TOSRV riders. To my amazement, just as you enter town, there is the most wonderful SAG(unofficial) of the ride.... A micro brewery !!!! Not wanting to upset the cycling Gods, or the fine people of Portsmouth, I'm obliged to stop and have a pint. This bike riding is really a very tough endeavor. As I leave this Garden of Eden, I ride along the flood control wall. For almost 1 mile there are huge murals depicting Portsmouth history. Very, very cool. At the official end point in a park in the middle of town, there are bands, vendors,and beer available. As I mentioned earlier, after 48 years they organizers have figured this out pretty well...

Off I go to the college, where the camping is. Now talk about fun...try setting up a tent in 25mph winds...ALONE. Best part was the laundry only took 3 minutes to dry on the line. I head over to a local church for dinner, then back to camp to eagerly await Sundays Ride. I finish the day with 110 miles

Sunday starts out sunny, but very chilly. Temps are low 40's with the winds now shifted to the NW. Great...it doesn't get any better than this!!!!!! Headwinds both ways....! I set out about 6:30 Fortunately I hook up with a couple that are riding at a comfortable pace of 15-16 mph. We tool along to The first sag, Lake White. I head out from there and come upon the young couple from yesterday, but they being young and all, I can't hold there pace.

The wind start to pick up around 9:30, this time they are quite chilly, being from the north. Altho not as strong as Saturdays winds, at 10-15mph with some strong gusts they do present a challenge. Yesterday was a slight downhill, so now that we are doing a complete reverse of the same course, there is a slight uphill all the way to Columbus. I stop in Chillicothe for lunch, and run into a young man I sold a house to last September... Its a small world! Today's speeds a very much slower that yesterdays, but I keep on moving. In still average 13.9 for the day....Not bad for an old fart! Most of the day I'm riding solo which surprises me in how many pace lines I pass all while riding solo. I just couldn't find a group traveling at my speed.

About 12 miles from the finish in Columbus, I entered an industrial zone, with stoplights every mile or so. Call it luck, but usually I have to stop at every light I encounter. This time I'm looking forward to stopping at these lights for the moment or so of rest...This time every one of the suckers was green when I arrived. Of course I'm to anal to stop ...so I pedal on.

The skyline of downtown Columbus is looming larger and larger on the horizon. That is such a welcome site. Wouldn't you know it, about 2 miles from the end of the ride, I encounter another Garden of Eden...... Once again, not wanting to upset the cycling Gods, I'm obliges to stop and have a pint. these cycle Gods can be very fickle. Also manage to sell some Moustache Wax while I'm there too!.

I ride past the state Capital building which is the official end, get my certificate stating I completed all 210 miles, then off to the YMCA, for a shower. I arrived home shortly after 11pm, tired but with a great sense of accomplishment.

2011 is the 50th running of this event...See you there...!

Be careful what you wish for

Day 2 Saturday March 29

During the winter doldrums, as the cold winds blows, snow drifts high, temps drop to zero, minds will wander. Distances seem shorter, hills are almost non-existent, ahhh, to be a legends in our own minds! While planning and surfing around for new adventures, and favorite rides this few past off seasons, I have discovered the world of randonneuring. This is ultra cycling with it's own unique set of rules.The granddaddy ride of them all is Paris to Brest to Paris, about 1200K. To qualify one must ride distances of 200k ,300k, 400k, 600k . Of course each ride is on it's own day. These rides are timed events must be completed within a certain amount of time. Complete 200k in less that 13 1/2 hours, that's a 9.5mph average.....Piece of cake...Right!

So here I am in Fredrick, Maryland, all excited because I'm going to ride in my first Randonnuer event. This is a 200k, with the route being about 129 miles. Well the weather took a turn for the worse. It is about 40 degrees, has rained all night, and will rain all day. What a brilliant idea this has turned out to be! With less than 400 miles of training for the year, and to few hours on the trainer,I deemed myself ready(or not)..... I'm off.

We meet at the Waffle House in Urbana, Maryland. There are about 30 riders here milling about. preparing their bikes for the ride or eating a hearty breakfast. Most are out of Washington, DC area, others from Mid Central Pa, and some fool from LeRoy NY. Cheryl's plan is to try and not succumb to boredom, and maybe a little window shopping at the local mall. Of course if she really becomes that bored she can entertain herself with images of maiming and torturing me for this endeavor. Come 7am the pre-ride safety talk begins, and we are off.

Western Maryland has it's own unique terrain. True to form, all bike ride routes always seek out every uphill rise available. Why ride the easy road when the harder, more challenging road, is available. The ride is billed as 8100 ft of climb. Let me be the first to tell you ... they lied!!!! The first 40 miles are a constant series of rollers that climb and drop 200+ feet each. These are all 5-10% grades. The countryside looks splendid, all the spring bulbs are popping up adding nice color. This area is about a month ahead of us in spring weather. There has been a light sprinkle all morning, and the winds are chilly out of the NE. At the first control (30 miles), I bump into a fellow FANY rider whom I rode with last summer. He's surprised to see me there. he lives near Reading, Pa, an hour up the road. Now the warm up is over. We enter Thurmont, Md, the home of camp David. Cheryl and I rode here two years ago in the civil war century. A great ride that took us up into the Gettysburg Battlefield, but this ride is not that easy. Thurmont is at the gate way to the Catoctin Mnts. range. You guessed it, that's a 1350 ft rise over the next 8 miles average grade is 6-8% with a couple of spikes beyond 10%. Overall I'm climbing this fairly well thanks to the new climbing techniques I've worked on over the winter. What a difference this new training makes. I'm actually passing people going up this mountain. There is nothing like the fragrance of a pine forest in the rain. Such a rich earthy fragrance of pine, earth, leaves. The entire ride up the mountain awakens all my senses. We are also riding in a cloud for the top half of the climb. At the summit comes the thrill of a fantastic downhill. Re zippering up all my shirts and jackets didn't help fight the cool breezes on the way down. Did I ever scream down. My motto is over 25 mph with curvy, twisting road approaching, is to take the whole lane. The shoulder is far to dangerous to be on in a curve with a car trying to squeeze you out. Besides most cars go slower thru the corners than I do. I love the feeling of speed on those skinny little tires.

Near the bottom of the hill the rear tire feels a little squirmy. After looking at it, the tire looks squat. I stop at the top of a roller...yup flat tire. Upon further review, I had picked up a piece of glass. Rainy days are notorious for flat tires. I repair the flat and continue on. I have a quick lunch at the store where the control is located at State Line Pa. I'm about 1/2 hour behind my projected times so I don't waste to much time. Now onwards towards Antietam battlefield. this is 30 miles of hard, quick, steep rollers. One after another , after another for what seemed like forever. The profile looks like teeth of a comb, straight up and down.... most exceeding 10% grade. 30 miles of this did me in. This part of the course is where my lack of miles and bike shape really showed up. Most of the riders I spoke with on the ride had 1000-1500 miles in and had been riding in 40-70 degree weather for more than a month. Most of my 400 miles were in the two weeks leading up to the ride. 40 degrees would have been considered a heat wave at home. When I arrived at Antietam, I was whipped. Unfortunately there were still 39 miles to go. A couple of chocolate milks, then hit the road again. The next 39 miles where longer climbs, so at least I could get a rhythm going.This is also where I enjoyed about 7 bonus miles. I must have used my other left, because none of the roads I encountered where on the cue sheet.I did stop a woman at an intersection, and she helped point me in the right direction. She said" 2 miles up this road, make the first left...go to the top of the hill ( Of course a hill) another left at the monument on the cue sheet and I'm back on course. It's not the extra miles that hurt...it's the elevation gain that hurts. Of course I ended up riding up the STEEP (18%) side of the hill. This is where I hooked up with another rider and we pulled each other back to the end. The pizza shop never looked so good.

I did it!!!!!! It wasn't pretty but I did it.

Cheryl was there and I chowed down some pizza and a couple of recovery drinks(read beer here). The Cycling community is a pretty close knit bunch. At the end of the day we have all covered the same ground and relish the stories being told. Also a few of those from this group, know riders up my way. A few of the names mentioned I recognized or new. Small world after all.

My first official , sanctioned 200 k. It sure was nice to be done.
Overall my totals were
136.83 miles
12.9 avg moving speed
8636ft Elevation gain
10h36m ride time
12h15m course time

Now on to Florida for 7 days of blissful riding, starting off with a century on the first day there...can't wait.

We drove to Richmond, Va. before packing it in for the night. Yes it sure was another great day on the saddle.

Plan "B"

DAY ONE Friday March 28

After months and months of anticipation, it's Florida or Bust. I know...I know...I'm a little slow posting this. But my excuses are valid, Just ask me and I'll tell you. Besides everything tends to become far more humorous as time goes bye.

Friday morning March 27th and I'm raring to go. Eleven glorious days away from the cold and dreary Northeast await...YES. All sorts of bike riding on the horizon...Sun...warmth...no worries!!!!!
It doesn't get any better than this.

As I finish putting together the jigsaw puzzle know as packing everything into the car, including both bikes, bike gear & camping gear in the trunk,I'm ready to hop in the car and go.... Wait a minute ... where is Cheryl? Ok, now she's in the car we can go. About 2 1/2 hours into this eventful voyage, as we are nearing the top of the hill south of Williamsport, the car decides now is a good time to malfunction! Yup, we are talking serious issues here. I can't think of a nicer place to spend a sunny Friday afternoon than Lewisburg Pa. As a matter of fact, Cheryl use to head on down to Lewisburg (Home of the Bucknell Buffalo's) as a R&R getaway spot for many years. She mentioned to me all the wonderful value's and points of interest while in Lewisburg. Yet all I can envision is the Federal Prison we just passed by....thanks.... but no thanks. So, I made us up our planned picnic lunch, which we ate overlooking the backside of downtown Lewisburg. The news about the car is fatal, our choices are limited, but we decide to rent a car and keep going south. Not much else we can do. Renting cars is a strange business. Our conversation goes something like this.

US; Hi we need to rent a car
Them; OK, for how long?
US; 10 days....How much?
Them; $x amount per week with unlimited mileage, also special weekend rates with unlimited mileage, grand total is $XX Amount. ( not that expensive)
US; Cool...lets do it.
Them; Where are you going
US; Florida
Them; Oh no..... anything south of N Caroline is triple the previous mentioned amount, plus $x per mile over the minuscule free mileage amount.
US; Well I guess we are only going to N. Carolina.
Them; OK , Sign here for the (original price)....enjoy your trip to N. Carolina

True to our word.... we did go to N. Carolina. As a matter of fact, we went to N. Caroline not once , but twice.

It only takes 20 minutes to pull off a Chinese fire drill, and repack everything in the rented Malibu...but it fits. There is a little more in the back seat than before, but there is still room for us. The poor gut from the rental company is looking at us a little funny.Hmmm, must be a Pennsylvania thing

We are only a few (OK many, many) hours behind. As we arrived in Fredrick Maryland, it is now well past sunset, raining, bad wipers, Grrrrrrrrr, one goal was to go to the Performance cycle shop, in nearby Gaithersburg, and scout out the departure point in Urbana Maryland where the 200K is I will ride in the morning,sponsored by the DC Randonnours With both items completed we do finally make it to the motel, very, very late, a bit tired and frayed.

So far, a picture perfect vacation...:(

Watching the pot boil

If you want time to speed up, then don't watch the clock. Easier said than done! On Friday we leave for our annual trek south, for 10 days of warmth(80 degrees vs 22 today), riding and over all fun. Unfortunately, right now I'm watching the pot boil, so time is now standing still.

With the snow melted away for the most part, riding is a bit more pleasurable than last March. Yet until things warm up some more, distances are not as enjoyable as they could be. Base miles are the key to these rides, getting the lungs and muscle memory back to normal. The time in the gym is showing great rewards, with much of what I've learned over the winter panning out very well. I'm seeing remarkable improvement so far, even tho I'm still putting it all together. Seat time is all that is needed now and that will come in a large dose next week.

I'm looking forward to starting the randonnuering series, it will be very interesting how I respond to the 3rd and 4rth rides in this series. Once again I will have a very aggressive ride schedule this year. Whats the sense of riding the same old same old, when you can explore the rest of the world from the saddle.... Plans are to ride in 6 states/ Provence's, a few week long and a few weekend getaways.

Tweener

This is the part of winter that causes anxiety. The weather isn't really a harsh winter, yet a real spring seems ions away. With the X-C skis collecting dust and the Bianchi getting a bath the gym is welcome reprieve. I enjoy the gym. It's great cross training, base work, not to mention some fantastic results being gained in conditioning. There is so much more to great cycling than just spinning pedals. This past week with temps above 40 and roads clear of snow I ventured out for a couple of rides. Availablity of time was the biggest factor in the distance traveled. I'm pleased at how well applying the core work and trainer lessons to the road worked out. It is a never ending process pushing the envelope.

Now the preoccupation is towards where I will go to ride this year. I pound the roads around here so much that they loose their training benefits. Doing the same old same old is the fastest way to digress. I so look forward to riding in other area's. I like to attending group rides within a few hours of home to help fight complacency. I'm mapping out new routes from the chateau. I can do quite a few different loop rides south and west. Areas such as Naples, Dansville, Wethersfield (windmill farm) and Ellicottville are all feasible. The Garmin 305 really helps with this. I can download the maps into the 305 and follow along. Loop rides to these new area's will keep with the current theme of distance and challenging terrain. Randonnuering will also be a new challenge. But there is nothing like packing up and heading off to parts unknown.

One of the key issues is that Sunday is a work day for me, so I need to choose the Sunday rides carefully. There are 8 -9 out of town rides that I would like to do. Conflicts arise with at least 3. Bruce is leading a ride around Rochester, but it is on a Sunday sandwiched between a couple other Sunday rides. TOSRV is the same weekend the Randonnuer series starts, yet I may cure that by doing the 200K in Maryland on the way to Bike Florida. Unfortunately that would have me arriving a day late for Bike Florida. Then the Tour of Chautauqua is the same day as Bike Tioga. Chautauqua County offers some very challenging terrain.

Such decision's.... I guess I'll head off to the gym and work on legs today.

It's here

Hndlebars Moustache Wax
Is now avalable on line.
Visit my new site

Da wabbit

Out X-C Skiing on Saturday, brought along my camera again. It's unfortunate that the pictures can truly convey the brisk winds at 2 degrees. Yet here are a couple neat shots.

Da wabbit is from a set of rabbit footprints we came across


There is a swimming hole/pond out there too. This was taken around 5pm. See the two rays of sunlight line up like hands on the clock .

5 O'clock Sun



The route

At last, A real winter...!

At long last, we are having a real winter. With lots of snow and cold. The past 2 weeks have brought over 2 feet of snow (Long live lake effect from Lake Erie) on top of a good base from December and temps in the single digits for highs, and -(minus) for lows. Today is a real heat wave with the current temp at 21. Not to worry, it will be back in the teens again by the weekend.

I've been able to get in a fair amount of X-C skiing the past few weeks. The nicest part about X-C skiing is all you need are your skies. So, in the same manner as the bike...I just put them in the car , head off somewhere and ski. Thus far I've skied Black Creek Park, O-At-Ka Creek park, around home I'll head over to Burnell Park, or over to PD's and Penny's on Summitt St Rd. When using the Monroe county parks, the trails are often packed down. Which makes the skiing faster.

Around home Penny's and PD's is a fantastic place to ski. There are a thousand or so acres behind their house. Now that I've ventured out and somewhat mapped out the area (with the help of my Garmin 305) I'm usually breaking my own trail, or following deer paths(they almost have their own highway system) and the going is a lot slower. I have found that the traveling through snow on skies is far, far easier than trying to walk through it. This past Saturday afternoon I went 9.2 miles in 7 degree temps, out behind Penny's and PD's. It's great to trek through woods, and fields, meandering which ever way looks interesting. Most of these travels would be nearly impossible in the summer when all the growth is on the bushes and trees.But with good snow cover and ski's the traveling is easier, and a blast. I came across a pond at the rear of a corn field that seems to be a swimming hole. Complete with floating diving platform, and picnic tables. Pretty neat ....!

Other area's of joy are coming from the gym and the trainer. The program I'm using on the trainer is going rather well. It's not easy, but I'm sure learning a whole bunch of new things. This will translate to meeting my goals for the coming season. As for the gym, I've surpassed the weights I was working with last winter. Along with this I'm now running 2 miles 3 times a week. That's pretty darn good for some one who couldn't run 200 feet a month ago. I've got my eye set on the Duathlon in May, so there's a lot of hard work ahead. Running seems to really work the hamstrings, and that should crossover to hill climbs on the bike too.

I will have to remember to bring my camera with me next time I ski. I don't think the camera will do capture the peace and tranquility along with the solitude I experience while out on a skiing adventure.

Lets Shine on '09

With the calender having changed it's numbers, it is time for me to reassess my numbers. Overall, my health and fitness progress to this point is going rather well. I feel stronger, less labored after last years efforts. This should carryover to next seasons ridding with stronger start in March. Weather permitting I should be able to get some road miles in in March. Currently I'm far more productive with my current training regiment, than to ride around the block for the sake of a ride. Not to mention what the salt does to equipment...!

This winter I'm doing a lot of cross training. I'm back in the gym after a 7 months away. Does it ever feel GREAT!!!!! Also have over 20 miles of X-C skiing in too. That's a blast!!!! I bought the skis at the end of last winter and only used them once. This year we have lots of snow, and now that I've figured it out...its loads of fun and a superb workout to boot. I did notice towards the end of last season where my shoulders and neck lost quite a bit of strength. My son Peter has joined me this year. He's 6'4' and skinny as a rail. we should be able to get a little muscle on him. Already he's sniveling about his poor muscles being sore. This a good sign, it means the workouts are doing there intended purpose. A few goals in the gym are to restrengthen neck, abs and lower back. Isolate calves, abductors and inductors. This , along with the regime I'm doing on the trainer is already showing great benefits. Yes the trainer is not the same as riding on the road. If I just sat there and spun at an easy pace then I would not be accomplishing a dam thing. I find the hour I spend on the trainer in a vigorous workout, to be a far greater workout than an hour on the road in the cold. I've always worked outside up until the last few years, and fully aware of the decrease in production in the cold. All this is designed to get me in better condition to climb hills. Real hills, not these little bumps in the road I currently ride on. Like the ones over near Warsaw, Middlebury, Attica and Weathersfield, those are the ones I hope to ride up with better results next season. Then I may be able to tackle the likes of Ithaca, Westfield, and North Creek without feeling like I died when I reach the top. If market conditions in the business world improve this year the quantity of miles may decrease, so next seasons rides will be orientated more towards quality of training rather than quantity.

A new twist this winter is to train for the Rochester Spring Classic Duathlon in May. That will be 2m run/ 10m bike/1m run/ 10bike/ 2 run. The goal here is not to finish last. Piece of cake!!!! I also have my eye set on a couple 5 and 10K's too.