late summer lament.

>0 miles

cicadas are the death gurgle of summer and they were out in full force today. the heat has broken and it was a pleasant 77°, even at midday. although the summer is the only time i make my living, a part of me is exhausted and wants it to be over already and get on with fall. i knew waking up today that i would be riding, but i was is a foul mood and sat staring at my bike for the better part of an hour. i flip-flopped from riding to going to the store for some retail therapy... but i eventually just flipped and pulled on my bibs. a much more ambitious ride was traded for a shorter, more "usual" ride, but it ended up being right on the money.



it took a lot longer than usual to shake the bad attitude that had begun the day with me. this certainly affeced my route and pace. short and slower... almost resentful, for some reason. after some miles, however, i began to leave the crabbiness behind and started thinking about the joys of riding. on such a pleasant day how can one not think about how perfect riding is? up the rolling backroads i pedaled my way north where the cars become scarce.  it's nice to be able to ride in the middle of the road without constantly having to look over your shoulder for that driver on their cell phone. the more north i got the quieter it became... and the more content i became. when it came time to take a main road back it didn't care i had gotten what i wanted out of the ride. with a slight downward grade i popped my bike into a tall gear and cruised back home. you have to take advantage of these days when they're available.

red barn blinky.

34-ish miles

the days are getting noticeably shorter these days so too are my post-work rides. it's getting more and more crucial that i get out on the road at 5:31 and not a minute later or else i'm going to be riding either 10 miles total or in total darkness, as i did tonight. people have a habit of showing up just minutes before close and either want to just chit-chat or they have some emergency that is never as quick as some air in the tires. today was just one of those days. i didn't get on the road for an extra 50 minutes, which absolutely killed me. the ride was still good... no, the ride was still great, but the last 30 minutes were basically in the dark with no light. i did, however, have the foresight to bring my rear blinky light. i did not die.




yesterday my computer started acting up... i'd get an average speed of 15mph, then 66mph... then 0mph, etc. today it just wasn't working at all, most likely it's just a dead sensor battery. no worries though, i have my phone with a GPS program... too bad that ate the battery up in about an hour and a half. that's why the mileage is approximated today. you gotta love technology.




goodbye, old chamois... may we meet again someday.

32.6 miles

gear. true cyclists love gear. every cyclist i know has a more extensive bike-specific wardrobe than they do a casual wardrobe by a very large margin. jersey and shorts is all you need, right? oh, i forgot the arm warmers... and knee warmers, leg warmers, gloves for fall, winter, early spring, late spring and summer, hats, ear warmers, tights, gilets, jackets for late/early season and winter, rain jackets, helmets, shoes, shoe covers both aero and thermal, chamois cream and embro... the list can get quite serious... and expensive.

recently, i finally had to give in to reality and move on from my favorite pair of bibs. they've been my favorites for quite some time and have thousands of miles in them. they just fit fantastic and the chamois just worked well with my garbage. i sat there the other day looking them over inspecting the holes and the seams that have worn out. i pinched the chamois and noted how lifeless it was. this pair will be put out to stud. i received my new pair the other day and took them out for the initial skidmarking last night. the fabric is nice and stretchy. the cuffs are sharp and exact. the chamois is thick and resilient. they smell of new lycra.



a new pair of shoes was also purchased as a late-season present to myself. not as necessary as the bibs it was still long overdue. the last pair of shoes had lasted me a little longer than they ought to have. they retain that permanent stink of sweaty food that no soak in baking soda can conquer. i deserve new pair of shoes.

it's funny how new gear can invigorate riding. sometimes when things get a bit dull or regular tossing some new gear into the mix can be exciting. sure, it's the same road, but it's a new chamois! as i road along last night i'd occasionally look down to admire my new stuff going around and around. doesn't it look fantastic? don't i look fantastic? probably not, but i feel fantastic. i can't wait to scuff the toe of my new shoes on my tire at 5:31pm tonight.



snoodle.

51.9 miles

i originally wrote a post today that was a rant about charity rides... it came off as way too negative so i decided to scrap it. i will say this, however... it does bug me that charity rides seem to be the only reason people ride anymore. that, having been said, i'll move on. yesterday's ride was a good one. a friend and i set off in the hottest part of the day for a good stiff ride. i certainly felt it when i got home... and for the rest of the evening for that matter. i spend a lot of time on google maps looking for new routes or to rediscover old forgotten routes... this was one such ride. i'm glad i had found this a few days earlier while staring at the map. scenic, fresh, good rolling terrain... a perfect ride. within the last 3 miles of the ride it started to rain and the last 100' it really rained. a nice refreshing end to a long, hot ride. i can't wait for october.



shadows of bikes.

24.6 miles

while out on a ride yesterday a friend asked, "you must think about bikes all day long... do you ever get tired of it and want think of something else?" well, i don't know, to be honest. i told him while at work I think about all the crappy walmart bikes, rusty 30-year-old peugots that aren't worth fixing and everything else about cheap bikes that make me angry. after work i think about everything bike-related that makes me happy. there is a clear line that is drawn and i try to keep them separate. i think that's necessary. over the past few years i've gotten very soured on the industry but i love bikes to death so it's important to keep that bitterness compartmentalized. it has affected my relationship with bikes for sure, but right now, while i write this, i am taking a nice relaxing bath before work and all i can think about is the ride i'll take after work.


wave, dammit.

26.5 miles

the wave. i like the wave, and no, i'm not talking about the same wave you'd be unfortunate enough to be a part of at a baseball game, i'm talking about actually waving at someone... in this case, a complete stranger. motorcyclists do it. upon passing a motorcyclist headed in the opposite you cooly drop your left hand to the side and acknowledge the other rider. i haven't a clue where it started but i'm a big fan of it and i carry it over to my time on a bicycle. these days people are so buried in their cell phones, smart phones, tablets, pads, pods, laptops lattes, and uh... eyeliner, that there's little reason to smile at a stranger. let alone engage them in anyway. while riding i will wave at any other cyclist on the road, it's just good form. it's sad i need a reason to be friendly to another human being if even for something as small as "hey, you're also riding a bike, therefor we have something in common and i will wave at you." often people won't wave back or will only because i wave first... but it doesn't matter, i'll take it.



cheesecake.

33.8 miles

yesterday after a long day of working two jobs and then meeting up with a friend for a bit i returned home to find my worst nightmare possible... an almost entire cheesecake nestled comfortably in the refrigerator. "bah!" i said, as i slammed the door shut in disgust. cake would not be on the menu for this evening. i had beaten the first self-discipline trial, but it wouldn't last. around 1am i found myself sitting on the couch with the entire container in my lap watching crappy tv. i hated myself for giving in to the cake's allure and hated myself even more with each bite. no matter what, at this point i was riding the next day, rain or shine. despite the punishment for my indiscretions,  i had a good ride. i went in the complete opposite direction i normally go which was new and exciting. that cheesecake better not be in refrigerator when i get home.