I'm deep into my taper for the big ride now. I did a couple of centuries last week, but it's just short, fast, and fun stuff until the ride starts on Sunday. All together I did ten centuries that I normally wouldn't have done over the last two months and maybe 2200 additional miles. I think I've gone through 15 pints of chamois butter, 2000 ibuprofens, and kept Ben Gay a vibrant and prospering brand. Okay, those are probably exaggerations.
In addition, I went up to the Blue Ridge to ride some long, steep climbs that we don't get around here. I did consecutive centuries on several occasions. I purposely rode in rain and high wind to build a tolerance for conditions that would typically lead me to bail. I tolerated night sweats, saddle sores, tendonitis in the ankle, and the kind of mechanical failures that only come with high mileage riding. I rode tired a lot, despite being in the best cycling shape of my life.
I'm glad the training is wrapped and the real miles are about to begin. I'm glad I didn't have to do it all by myself. Everybody in RABA, everybody I rode with, everybody who offered encouragement was a huge help. Through all the training they made sure that I never lost the simple joy of going out and riding my bicycle.
I am completely excited and feeling ready for it. I'm headed to California on Thursday to spend a couple of days with my friends Crystal and Scott before the ride begins. Next time you see me I'll be in Cali.
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Good luck, Andy. It is great to occasionally read stuff which is not about foreclosures, job loss, weakening economy, etc. And you are right, it is ultimately about going out and riding your cycle. (I am sure there is a classic rock song with the same theme!).
ReplyDeleteWhere did you come out on the streamlining air resistance vs. looking manly conundrum?
can't wait to follow your journey!
ReplyDeleteGood luck Smitty. What are some highlights on your route? How close to the PacNW will you be? Todd(and family) are heading up here tomorrow. We'll be thinking about you, and we'll try to squeeze in a beer for you(amidst 5 kiddos.)
ReplyDeleteAndy...this is the first in a series of posts intended to push important facts out of your head. Sincerely, t.
ReplyDeleteWhat do the following have in common: a derailleur gear, an aluminum frame, the freewheel, disk wheels, anatomical saddles, clipless pedals, suspension, folding bikes? Answer: they were all ideas that originated in the late 1800s. The late English cycling historian, John Pinkerton, once remarked,“Think of a new idea in bicycle design and someone will have already invented it, probably in the nineteenth century.”
After the fundamentals of bicycle design had been conceived by the end of the 1860s, a multitude of subsequent improvements were suggested and tried. In some cases the ideas died, marking the end of that particular evolutionary branch. In other instances, the concepts were embraced to the point that they led to commercial successes. It’s worth noting that Jim Hurd, the former curator of the Bicycle Museum of America, says that at the turn of the century there were two buildings in Washington DC that held every patent in the U.S. One building held patents covering every type of product you can think of. The other building was reserved specifically for bicycle patents. It’s a manifestation of how much energy had gone into refining the bicycle and it’s the reason why it’s such a challenge for modern designers to make any sea-change improvements.