Miles: 26.3
Time: 2:12:46
Elevation: 75
Average Speed: 11.9
Max Speed: 21.0
Cool, low 50's ride from Herondo Street, Redondo Beach, to Venice beach and return. I did not start until 2:45. Sunset was about 4:45. I intended to go to Santa Monica Pier but too much of the trail was flooded in Venice and there were too many people on the walking path. It worked out because it was getting dark and colder by the time I returned to the car.
I wore summer jersey, long sleeve jersey, jacket, shorts and Hammer beanie. I put fleece beanie on on way back. I took wind pants but left them in th car. I would not have been too warm had I worn them.
Wind was out of SE, not too strong.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
12-24-2012 - Palos Verdes Drive Loop, New Tire
Miles: 26.7
Time: 2:44:30
Elevation: 2190
Average Speed: 9.7
Max Speed: 30.3
After mounting new tire did PV Drive Loop. Stopped at coffee place in Redondo for soy latte and a bran muffin. A cool but pleasant ride. Too much traffic.
The new tire is smaller than the old and the No Flat Strip was fused at the overlap. I ended up cutting it. Now I will have to worry about whether or not the straight corners will harm the tube. The factory ends are nicely rounded. I mounted my backup regular tube and not the new "light" one. It worked fine today.
Time: 2:44:30
Elevation: 2190
Average Speed: 9.7
Max Speed: 30.3
12-23-2012 - Attempt at Palos Verdes Drive Loop - Blowout
Miles: 5.0
Time: 0:33:05
Elevation: 558
Average Speed: 9.1
Max Speed: 29.8
Started on PV Drive Loop. Got over hill and down to PVD North. Had a loud gunshot sounding blowout just before Strawberry Lane. I called Tara and she came and get me in about 15 minutes. Nice! Went to Performance and got Forte $40 tire on sale for $20 and a $10 "light" long stem tube. They had no cheap long stem tubes. Annoying!
Time: 0:33:05
Elevation: 558
Average Speed: 9.1
Max Speed: 29.8
Started on PV Drive Loop. Got over hill and down to PVD North. Had a loud gunshot sounding blowout just before Strawberry Lane. I called Tara and she came and get me in about 15 minutes. Nice! Went to Performance and got Forte $40 tire on sale for $20 and a $10 "light" long stem tube. They had no cheap long stem tubes. Annoying!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
12-19-2012 - Airport Loop/Adobe on Road Bike
Miles: 25.4
Time: 2:02:16
Elevation: 5956
Average Speed: 12.5
Max Speed: 30.7
A chilly and windy ride to the airport and around. Wind was around 19 MPH from the NW (perhaps more north than west) at the start and. It diminished in the vicinity of the airport and then picked up again as I came back into town. It was 45 degrees at 11:00 when I left and 50 when I returned. Today I layered up for it: zip neck "Tee", summer jersey, thin fleece pullover, bike jacket, thin fleece beanie under helmet, medium fleece gloves. I actually got a bit warm on the two downwind south bound legs but it was worth it to be comfortable going into and across the wind. I stopped on Highway 62 to try to get a decent photo of the new snow pack on Mount San Gorgornio. My phone camera does not quite do it justice.
Time: 2:02:16
Elevation: 5956
Average Speed: 12.5
Max Speed: 30.7
A chilly and windy ride to the airport and around. Wind was around 19 MPH from the NW (perhaps more north than west) at the start and. It diminished in the vicinity of the airport and then picked up again as I came back into town. It was 45 degrees at 11:00 when I left and 50 when I returned. Today I layered up for it: zip neck "Tee", summer jersey, thin fleece pullover, bike jacket, thin fleece beanie under helmet, medium fleece gloves. I actually got a bit warm on the two downwind south bound legs but it was worth it to be comfortable going into and across the wind. I stopped on Highway 62 to try to get a decent photo of the new snow pack on Mount San Gorgornio. My phone camera does not quite do it justice.
Monday, December 17, 2012
12-17-2012 - Pinto Mountain Loop on Road Bike
Miles: 14.0
Time: 1:02:36
Elevation: 173
Average Speed: 13.4
Max Speed: 26.9
Cool ride to Pinto and around after 10 days off. 60 degrees out and 59 on return. Brisk and chilly East wind. Wore only jersey and coat. I will wear more layers next time.
Time: 1:02:36
Elevation: 173
Average Speed: 13.4
Max Speed: 26.9
Cool ride to Pinto and around after 10 days off. 60 degrees out and 59 on return. Brisk and chilly East wind. Wore only jersey and coat. I will wear more layers next time.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
12-08-2012 - Airport Loop/Park Kiosk/Adobe
Miles: 31.0
Time: 2:37:01
Elevation: 1406
Average Speed: 11.8
Max Speed: 35.6
I set out to do the airport loop and ended up doing quite a bit more including changing a tube at the far east of the ride on Goodwin Road. When I first noticed the flat I stopped and pumped it up hoping for the best. I made it about 3/4 mile before it was flat again. It worked out well because the supports for the sign I leaned the bike on made a pretty good work bench. I found a pretty long thorn in the tire. I used for the first time the new mini-pump I purchased several months ago. I bought it for the touring bike which has lower pressure tires but the tip screws onto the valve stem and the tubes I am using on that bike have no threads so I relegated it to the road bike. I was able to get 100 pounds into the tire without too much effort (I checked when I got home). That is OK for the front on a local ride but not good enough for the rear especially if far from home. I normally run 125 on this bike and 100 in the touring bike. The pump is rated at 100 PSI. It is made by Zefal and is 7.5" long and about 7/8" in diameter. I found it at the Walmart Supercenter in Palm Desert for about $11.00. I have a Topeak Road Morph G "Master Blaster" pump on the touring bike currently and will take it on any extended tour regardless of valve stem type. It will go to about 160 pounds, it has a hose with a conventional Schrader/Presta lever clamped head, a gauge, a folding "T" handle and a folding foot pad which makes it in effect a mini-floor pump. It is a bit heavy but its utility and versatility justify carrying it. When I got to park HQ I decided to go up the hill a way to see how it felt and to play it by ear and turn around when it felt like the thing to do. Of course once such a project is started it ids hard to turn back so I ground it out to the North Entrance. It was a nice cool climb as I got into the shade about 1/2 way up. It was uncomfortably cool coming down. It was shaded almost all the way back to the HQ. I was glad to get into the sun again although I had wool arm warmers and jacket sleeves with me. A nice ride all things considered.
Time: 2:37:01
Elevation: 1406
Average Speed: 11.8
Max Speed: 35.6
I set out to do the airport loop and ended up doing quite a bit more including changing a tube at the far east of the ride on Goodwin Road. When I first noticed the flat I stopped and pumped it up hoping for the best. I made it about 3/4 mile before it was flat again. It worked out well because the supports for the sign I leaned the bike on made a pretty good work bench. I found a pretty long thorn in the tire. I used for the first time the new mini-pump I purchased several months ago. I bought it for the touring bike which has lower pressure tires but the tip screws onto the valve stem and the tubes I am using on that bike have no threads so I relegated it to the road bike. I was able to get 100 pounds into the tire without too much effort (I checked when I got home). That is OK for the front on a local ride but not good enough for the rear especially if far from home. I normally run 125 on this bike and 100 in the touring bike. The pump is rated at 100 PSI. It is made by Zefal and is 7.5" long and about 7/8" in diameter. I found it at the Walmart Supercenter in Palm Desert for about $11.00. I have a Topeak Road Morph G "Master Blaster" pump on the touring bike currently and will take it on any extended tour regardless of valve stem type. It will go to about 160 pounds, it has a hose with a conventional Schrader/Presta lever clamped head, a gauge, a folding "T" handle and a folding foot pad which makes it in effect a mini-floor pump. It is a bit heavy but its utility and versatility justify carrying it. When I got to park HQ I decided to go up the hill a way to see how it felt and to play it by ear and turn around when it felt like the thing to do. Of course once such a project is started it ids hard to turn back so I ground it out to the North Entrance. It was a nice cool climb as I got into the shade about 1/2 way up. It was uncomfortably cool coming down. It was shaded almost all the way back to the HQ. I was glad to get into the sun again although I had wool arm warmers and jacket sleeves with me. A nice ride all things considered.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
12/04/2012 - Airport Loop on Tour Bike w/32 LB H2O
Miles: 25.5
Time: 2:17:23
Elevation: 597
Average Speed: 11.1
Max Speed: 36.3
I took the touring bike out to test the new front rack and the whole bike with a load. I put a gallon of water in each bag in front and since I do not have new read bags yet I bungeed 2 gallons on the rear rack for a total of 32 pounds. The bike weighed 38 pounds dry for a grand total of 73 with the two bike bottles I took to drink. Contrary to rumors the bike handles very well with the load on the front. It really stabilizes the steering. The bike was solid with no load on the front. With the load it is as solid as a rock even with the rear weight high on the rack instead of low in bags. All in all it feels about like riding my my road bike but slower, especially going uphill. A nice cool day for riding. High clouds, a mild east wind and high 60s temps.
Time: 2:17:23
Elevation: 597
Average Speed: 11.1
Max Speed: 36.3
I took the touring bike out to test the new front rack and the whole bike with a load. I put a gallon of water in each bag in front and since I do not have new read bags yet I bungeed 2 gallons on the rear rack for a total of 32 pounds. The bike weighed 38 pounds dry for a grand total of 73 with the two bike bottles I took to drink. Contrary to rumors the bike handles very well with the load on the front. It really stabilizes the steering. The bike was solid with no load on the front. With the load it is as solid as a rock even with the rear weight high on the rack instead of low in bags. All in all it feels about like riding my my road bike but slower, especially going uphill. A nice cool day for riding. High clouds, a mild east wind and high 60s temps.
Monday, December 3, 2012
12-03-2012 Lear Road Loop on Road Bike
Miles: 19.2
Time: 1:29:42
Elevation: 748
Average Speed: 12.8
Max Speed: 36.8
A nice afternoon ride to the West with an East wind. It all went well. When I got home my new Arkel front rack and neoprene booties had arrived a day early via UPS. I tried the booties on and they are too tight to zip on the road shoes but work fine on the touring sandals which is what I bought them for.
I tried the booties on and they are too tight to zip up the back with the road shoes although they will be usable for warmth if not rain. They fit and will work fine on the touring sandals which is what I bought them for.
At first glance it was not clear how the rack would mount on the bottom eyelets with the fender strut mounts. Arkel supplied 25 and 45MM bolts. The 25s were too short to go through the rack, spacers, fender strut holders and the eyelets. The 45s were way too long. After experimenting with several options for placement of the fender struts I decided they would only fit properly on the bottom of the pile, next to the fork eyelets. I did not relish the idea of putting the rack on top of the plastic fender strut holders but decided it would probably work fine as the plastic is quite hard and sturdy. I got our the Dremel tool and cut 1/2" off each 45mm bolt then bolted everything on with no particular problem. The installation looks good and I think it will work well.
Time: 1:29:42
Elevation: 748
Average Speed: 12.8
Max Speed: 36.8
A nice afternoon ride to the West with an East wind. It all went well. When I got home my new Arkel front rack and neoprene booties had arrived a day early via UPS. I tried the booties on and they are too tight to zip on the road shoes but work fine on the touring sandals which is what I bought them for.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
11-28-2012 Airport Loop/Rite-Aid
Miles: 29.4
Time: 2:15:35
Elevation: 692
Average Speed: 13.0
Max Speed: 37.6
Airport Loop plus Rite-Aid. Nice cool day. Mild wind. Used 3-4 ounces of honey-protein mix and one bottle of Heed.
Time: 2:15:35
Elevation: 692
Average Speed: 13.0
Max Speed: 37.6
Airport Loop plus Rite-Aid. Nice cool day. Mild wind. Used 3-4 ounces of honey-protein mix and one bottle of Heed.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
2012-11-24 Airport Loop on Road Bike
Miles: 22.4
Time: 1:38:57
Elevation: 408
Average Speed: 13.6
Max Speed: 26.5
Airport Loop. Nice cool afternoon. Mild east wind.
Time: 1:38:57
Elevation: 408
Average Speed: 13.6
Max Speed: 26.5
Airport Loop. Nice cool afternoon. Mild east wind.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
11-22-2012 Pinto Mountain Loop on Road Bike
Miles: 14.1
Time: 1:01:54
Elevation: 207
Average Speed: 13.7
Max Speed: 23.6
Pinto Mountain Loop. First ride in 2 1/2 weeks. Nice cool afternoon.
Time: 1:01:54
Elevation: 207
Average Speed: 13.7
Max Speed: 23.6
Pinto Mountain Loop. First ride in 2 1/2 weeks. Nice cool afternoon.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
11-06-2012 Airport Loop/Adobe
Miles: 25.4
Time: 1:54:42
Elevation: 595
Average Speed: 13.3
Max Speed: 38.7
Airport loop with Baseline to Adobe thrown in. Beautiful fall afternoon. Barely a breeze.
Time: 1:54:42
Elevation: 595
Average Speed: 13.3
Max Speed: 38.7
Airport loop with Baseline to Adobe thrown in. Beautiful fall afternoon. Barely a breeze.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
11-04-2012 Poke Around Park on Mt. Bike
Miles: 28.5
Time: 2:59:08
Elevation: 1180
Average Speed: 9.6
Max Speed: 20.0
Left the car at Jumbo Rocks at about 2:45. I was concerned about having enough daylight but then a couple of miles in I realized I had not set my watch or the car clock back and it was only 2:00. I took dirt roads, Geology Tour Road north to Queen Valley Road and then west on Queen Valley, to Park Blvd. at Hidden Valley. From there I took Park Blvd. to the Boy Scout Trailhead parking lot. On the return I took a road I thought would circle Hidden valley but it turned into a closed service road after 1/4 mile or so. After climbing out of that hole I went up Salton View Road to Lost Horse Mine Road with the intent of trying to find out if it goes through to Geology Tour Road. My GPS app does not show the road but a nice European couple stopped and showed me their map from which I determined it is a dead end road. I rode back the way I came and took Park Blvd. back to the car at Jumbo Rocks, loaded up and drove home. It was 77 degrees at the middle of the ride and 62 when I got back to the car and about 5:05. A very pleasant afternoon.
Time: 2:59:08
Elevation: 1180
Average Speed: 9.6
Max Speed: 20.0
Left the car at Jumbo Rocks at about 2:45. I was concerned about having enough daylight but then a couple of miles in I realized I had not set my watch or the car clock back and it was only 2:00. I took dirt roads, Geology Tour Road north to Queen Valley Road and then west on Queen Valley, to Park Blvd. at Hidden Valley. From there I took Park Blvd. to the Boy Scout Trailhead parking lot. On the return I took a road I thought would circle Hidden valley but it turned into a closed service road after 1/4 mile or so. After climbing out of that hole I went up Salton View Road to Lost Horse Mine Road with the intent of trying to find out if it goes through to Geology Tour Road. My GPS app does not show the road but a nice European couple stopped and showed me their map from which I determined it is a dead end road. I rode back the way I came and took Park Blvd. back to the car at Jumbo Rocks, loaded up and drove home. It was 77 degrees at the middle of the ride and 62 when I got back to the car and about 5:05. A very pleasant afternoon.
11-03-2012 Pinto Mountain/Amboy Loop
Miles: 14.2
Time: 1:00:03
Elevation: 410
Average Speed: 14.4
Max Speed: 26.5
A late afternoon quickie. Got home just as sun set. Mid 70's. As close to no wind as I can recall around here.
Time: 1:00:03
Elevation: 410
Average Speed: 14.4
Max Speed: 26.5
A late afternoon quickie. Got home just as sun set. Mid 70's. As close to no wind as I can recall around here.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
11/01/2012 Airport Loop w/Extension on Road Bike
Miles: 29.9
Time: 2:14:27
Elevation: 693
Average Speed: 13.3
Max Speed: 37.6
Did Airport Loop. Stopped at Park HQ the rode around to Larrera and home via Raymond and Adobe. A Beautiful afternoon. Light breeze, high clouds, about 80. Used Strava app. Drank about 3 oz. of new goop recipe and 1 Nuun tablet:
Used a bit much water to dissolve powders and ended up with goo too thin although not as bad as batch I made Tuesday. Maybe hot water will work better. This made about 3 5oz bottles.
Time: 2:14:27
Elevation: 693
Average Speed: 13.3
Max Speed: 37.6
Did Airport Loop. Stopped at Park HQ the rode around to Larrera and home via Raymond and Adobe. A Beautiful afternoon. Light breeze, high clouds, about 80. Used Strava app. Drank about 3 oz. of new goop recipe and 1 Nuun tablet:
| 1 | C. | Honey | |
| 2 | Tbsp. | Molasses | |
| 4 | Tbsp. | Soy Protein | |
| 2 | Tsp. | Instant Coffee | |
| 2 | Tsp. | Hershey's Coco Powder | |
| 1/4 | Tsp. | Salt | |
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
10/30/2012 - Pole Line Road Loop on Road Bike
Miles: 24.2
Time: 1:54:44
Elevation: 901
Average Speed: 12.7
Max Speed: 36.8
The Lear/Pole Line Road/Indian Trail loop. A nice fall afternoon. Light east breeze. Used Strava app. I mixed the rest of my gel with a Tbsp of Soy and a bit of water. It ended up thin by the time I used some water to get the remainder of the extra gel from the Indio ride out of the water bottle. Sunday AM I picked up my Hammer order so I have 4 gel flasks and the holster now. I will not have to carry any in a water bottle again. The holster works well. I have it on the top tube.
Time: 1:54:44
Elevation: 901
Average Speed: 12.7
Max Speed: 36.8
The Lear/Pole Line Road/Indian Trail loop. A nice fall afternoon. Light east breeze. Used Strava app. I mixed the rest of my gel with a Tbsp of Soy and a bit of water. It ended up thin by the time I used some water to get the remainder of the extra gel from the Indio ride out of the water bottle. Sunday AM I picked up my Hammer order so I have 4 gel flasks and the holster now. I will not have to carry any in a water bottle again. The holster works well. I have it on the top tube.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
10/28/2012 Airport Loop on Road Bike
Miles: 22.5
Time: 1:40:28
Elevation: 410
Average Speed: 13.4
Max Speed: 24.4
The usual airport loop. Used 3 oz. gel. Low 80s light breeze. Did not feel particularly ambitious. Got and used new Hammer Gel Holster. Much better than back pocket. Gel does not seem to agree with me too well. Will try recipe with soy protein added next. Reverted to Look pedals and road shoes.
Time: 1:40:28
Elevation: 410
Average Speed: 13.4
Max Speed: 24.4
The usual airport loop. Used 3 oz. gel. Low 80s light breeze. Did not feel particularly ambitious. Got and used new Hammer Gel Holster. Much better than back pocket. Gel does not seem to agree with me too well. Will try recipe with soy protein added next. Reverted to Look pedals and road shoes.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
10/21/2012 Airport Loop on Road Bike
Miles: 22.5
Time: 1:37:34
Elevation: 411
Average Speed: 13.8
Max Speed: 26.1
The usual airport loop. I bought a Hammer Nutrition Gel Bottle at a bike shop in Temecula last week. This morning I mixed up a batch of a basic recipe I found on Active.com: 7 1/2 Tbs Honey
1 Tsp Molasses
1/10 Tsp Table Salt
This made about 4 oz. I was concerned that it would cause me to have sugar problems but it worked fine. The molasses must moderate the sugar uptake to some extent. I consumed the bottle in 3 approximately even servings at miles 7.5, 14.5 and 20. I also drank a bottle of water with a cola flavored Nunn tablet dissolved in it at mile 14.5. The tablet is an electrolyte mix with a small dose of caffeine in it. I felt good the entire ride and the goo and drink account for at least some of it. The nice cool fall weather (high 70's) helped too. I will experiment with other recipes. There are many on the web but most require exotic ingredients I do not keep on hand such as dextrose, brown rice syrup, guava syrup and so on. After riding the loaded touring bike for 180 miles last week the road bike feels like a jet plane. I am considering repeating my loop of last spring to Indio via Cottonwood Springs and Mecca and home through Palm Springs, Morongo and Yucca Valleys. I will do it on the road bike with my new clamp on seat post rack and a very minimal load, a change of clothes for evening wear and some Coke and water and a few bike repair supplies and tools. I am still itching to get out and do a longer tour on the tour bike but this is not the right time of year to start for Florida and I am still short a few pieces of gear I need to go, a decent tent, a front rack and a second set of panniers for better weight distribution and more storage space.
Time: 1:37:34
Elevation: 411
Average Speed: 13.8
Max Speed: 26.1
The usual airport loop. I bought a Hammer Nutrition Gel Bottle at a bike shop in Temecula last week. This morning I mixed up a batch of a basic recipe I found on Active.com: 7 1/2 Tbs Honey
1 Tsp Molasses
1/10 Tsp Table Salt
This made about 4 oz. I was concerned that it would cause me to have sugar problems but it worked fine. The molasses must moderate the sugar uptake to some extent. I consumed the bottle in 3 approximately even servings at miles 7.5, 14.5 and 20. I also drank a bottle of water with a cola flavored Nunn tablet dissolved in it at mile 14.5. The tablet is an electrolyte mix with a small dose of caffeine in it. I felt good the entire ride and the goo and drink account for at least some of it. The nice cool fall weather (high 70's) helped too. I will experiment with other recipes. There are many on the web but most require exotic ingredients I do not keep on hand such as dextrose, brown rice syrup, guava syrup and so on. After riding the loaded touring bike for 180 miles last week the road bike feels like a jet plane. I am considering repeating my loop of last spring to Indio via Cottonwood Springs and Mecca and home through Palm Springs, Morongo and Yucca Valleys. I will do it on the road bike with my new clamp on seat post rack and a very minimal load, a change of clothes for evening wear and some Coke and water and a few bike repair supplies and tools. I am still itching to get out and do a longer tour on the tour bike but this is not the right time of year to start for Florida and I am still short a few pieces of gear I need to go, a decent tent, a front rack and a second set of panniers for better weight distribution and more storage space.
Friday, October 19, 2012
10/19/2012 - Airport Loop On Road Bike
Miles: 21.7
Time: 1:35:34
Elevation: 411
Average Speed: 13.6
Max Speed: 24.3
I left home in a rush about 5:15. I failed to start the phone app until I was .7 miles out. I got to Amboy road at mile 9.5 just as the sun set and ended up riding the last 4-5 miles in darkness. I used my "touring sandals" and pedals which worked well and was comfortable. I wanted to test this combination because I plan to ride to Indio to spend the night soon and I want to use his setup. It looks like it will be a good way to go. I will not need to take any off the bike footwear. It was a nice evening with mild temperatures and wind. All in all a good ride after a week off.
Time: 1:35:34
Elevation: 411
Average Speed: 13.6
Max Speed: 24.3
I left home in a rush about 5:15. I failed to start the phone app until I was .7 miles out. I got to Amboy road at mile 9.5 just as the sun set and ended up riding the last 4-5 miles in darkness. I used my "touring sandals" and pedals which worked well and was comfortable. I wanted to test this combination because I plan to ride to Indio to spend the night soon and I want to use his setup. It looks like it will be a good way to go. I will not need to take any off the bike footwear. It was a nice evening with mild temperatures and wind. All in all a good ride after a week off.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
10/05/2012 - Airport Loop With Mel
Miles: 23.4
Time: 1:53:02
Elevation: 409
Average Speed: 12.4
Max Speed: 21.2
Mel is a member of the Desert Tortoise Bicycle Club as am I and a friend of my good buddy Doug. We have exchanged a few comments about each other's rides on Strava.com and started talking about meeting for a ride on a Friday or Saturday a week or two ago. After some back and forth we agreed to meet today for a ride. We live at about the same distance from the corner of Utah Trail and Amboy Road in opposite directions. We had agreed to meet there at 7:00 AM. We arrived within seconds of each other, introduced ourselves and decided to do the usual Airport Loop. It was cooler at that time of day than at my usual riding times at later hours but it was comfortable, about 70. Once we got off of Adobe Road and past Utah Trail on Valley Vista the traffic was light and we were able to ride side by side and talk except when we got back on the busier roads, Amboy and Highway 62. It was another 29 Palms day where no matter which direction one goes in there seems to be a headwind. Fortunately it was mild at least until we started back towards town on Highway 62 then it got a bit annoying especially in combination with the moderate climb. We came down Utah from the highway without a stop at JTNP Headquarters and went our separate ways at Amboy Road. All in all it was an very enjoyable ride and I really liked meeting Mel and getting to know him. I look forward to riding with him again.
Time: 1:53:02
Elevation: 409
Average Speed: 12.4
Max Speed: 21.2
Mel is a member of the Desert Tortoise Bicycle Club as am I and a friend of my good buddy Doug. We have exchanged a few comments about each other's rides on Strava.com and started talking about meeting for a ride on a Friday or Saturday a week or two ago. After some back and forth we agreed to meet today for a ride. We live at about the same distance from the corner of Utah Trail and Amboy Road in opposite directions. We had agreed to meet there at 7:00 AM. We arrived within seconds of each other, introduced ourselves and decided to do the usual Airport Loop. It was cooler at that time of day than at my usual riding times at later hours but it was comfortable, about 70. Once we got off of Adobe Road and past Utah Trail on Valley Vista the traffic was light and we were able to ride side by side and talk except when we got back on the busier roads, Amboy and Highway 62. It was another 29 Palms day where no matter which direction one goes in there seems to be a headwind. Fortunately it was mild at least until we started back towards town on Highway 62 then it got a bit annoying especially in combination with the moderate climb. We came down Utah from the highway without a stop at JTNP Headquarters and went our separate ways at Amboy Road. All in all it was an very enjoyable ride and I really liked meeting Mel and getting to know him. I look forward to riding with him again.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
10/03/2012 - Airport Loop on Road Bike
Miles: 25.6
Time: 1:54:50
Elevation: 608
Average Speed: 13.4
Max Speed: 37.2
Beautiful cool morning ride. About 82 when I left and 92 when I returned. Mild NW breeze. Still some pretty deep dirt on Pinto Mountain Road but I have learned how to get through it on 1" tires, just keep pedaling. I put water bottles in freezer to cool while I got ready. When I got almost to Goodwin Road, 11 miles out, I realized I had no water. I was dried out by the time I got to park Headquarters at mile 20.2. I was lucky it was a cool day. This could be a nightmare on a 100 degree day. A week ago I put knobby tires back on Fuji mountain bike. I also took off steering tube extender and adjustable stem and put stock stem back on which lowers the bars about 4 inches. Bike is all stock now except for rear rack.
Time: 1:54:50
Elevation: 608
Average Speed: 13.4
Max Speed: 37.2
Beautiful cool morning ride. About 82 when I left and 92 when I returned. Mild NW breeze. Still some pretty deep dirt on Pinto Mountain Road but I have learned how to get through it on 1" tires, just keep pedaling. I put water bottles in freezer to cool while I got ready. When I got almost to Goodwin Road, 11 miles out, I realized I had no water. I was dried out by the time I got to park Headquarters at mile 20.2. I was lucky it was a cool day. This could be a nightmare on a 100 degree day. A week ago I put knobby tires back on Fuji mountain bike. I also took off steering tube extender and adjustable stem and put stock stem back on which lowers the bars about 4 inches. Bike is all stock now except for rear rack.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
09/29/2012 - The Usual Loop on the Touring Bike
Miles: 24.2
Time: 2:07:38
Elevation: 539
Average Speed: 11.4
Max Speed: 38.7
A slow and easy ride on the touring bike to test my body and new Shimano SPD/Platform pedals in combination with my "touring" sandals. This is my first ride in 2 weeks. After my last JTNP ride with Doug I had to go to Northern California for family reasons. I came home via Los Angeles where I spent a couple of days with my oldest daughter and family. When I got back I had a new Google Nexus phone on a T-Mobile plan and a cold. I laid low for almost a week. The ride was uneventful and pleasant. I started late in the afternoon so the sun was not too intense and it was relatively cool, 93 out and 83 in. I did not hurry and just relaxed and enjoyed the evening. The touring bike is too heavy and not geared for speed so there even if one does want to rush it doesn't work out so well. I used the new pedals for the first time. I started the ride clipped into the SPD side. Within the first 2 miles the ball of my left foot started hurting where it had been badly blistered on a hike in early August. I was able to unclip and use the platform side which takes the direct pressure off the ball. This turned out to be pain free and I rode most of the remainder of the ride with the left foot on the platform side and the right clipped in. I did unclip the right foot for a few miles when I felt the ball starting to heat up. The ride turned out to be almost completely pain free. This is what I was hoping for when I bought these pedals. To the left is the SPD side of the pedal. You can see the raised mechanism which engages the cleats on the shoes. This type of pedal puts most of the pressure on the center of the ball of the foot. This can get quite uncomfortable on a hot day or if the foot is injured. SPD pedals were originally designed of mountain biking where long periods of more or less consistent cadence pedaling it not the norm. Many touring cyclists use SPD pedals because of the ability to walk normally in the shoes but they are just not as comfortable as so called "road" pedals. On the right is the bottom of the sandals with cleats. You will notice that the cleats are recessed which makes walking in the sandals off the bike almost like any other shoes. I say almost because the cleats are shallow enough that you hear the crunching of small stones and other debris that one walks through or on. Some SPD shoes have more deeply recessed cleats but these work fine for my purposes in that they feel completely normal to walk in. I have worn them around home and around town and they feel like any other good quality sandals. The most common alternative is road shoes and cleats. Road cleats are bolted onto the outside of a hard and slippery sole. The cleats are slippery and quite noisy on many surfaces and the whole package is a challenge to walk in, especially on tile floors. They are more comfortable on the bike though as they spread the load on the foot over a larger area, much like the platform side om my new pedals. I expect this sandal and pedal combination to contribute to a very comfortable and relaxed touring experience. Of course a lot of being relaxed has to do with attitude but it is much easier to be relaxed if one's feet do not hurt and he can walk like a normal human when off the bike. Abraham Lincoln said, "When my feet hurt I can't think." It is true on a bicycle.
Time: 2:07:38
Elevation: 539
Average Speed: 11.4
Max Speed: 38.7
A slow and easy ride on the touring bike to test my body and new Shimano SPD/Platform pedals in combination with my "touring" sandals. This is my first ride in 2 weeks. After my last JTNP ride with Doug I had to go to Northern California for family reasons. I came home via Los Angeles where I spent a couple of days with my oldest daughter and family. When I got back I had a new Google Nexus phone on a T-Mobile plan and a cold. I laid low for almost a week. The ride was uneventful and pleasant. I started late in the afternoon so the sun was not too intense and it was relatively cool, 93 out and 83 in. I did not hurry and just relaxed and enjoyed the evening. The touring bike is too heavy and not geared for speed so there even if one does want to rush it doesn't work out so well. I used the new pedals for the first time. I started the ride clipped into the SPD side. Within the first 2 miles the ball of my left foot started hurting where it had been badly blistered on a hike in early August. I was able to unclip and use the platform side which takes the direct pressure off the ball. This turned out to be pain free and I rode most of the remainder of the ride with the left foot on the platform side and the right clipped in. I did unclip the right foot for a few miles when I felt the ball starting to heat up. The ride turned out to be almost completely pain free. This is what I was hoping for when I bought these pedals. To the left is the SPD side of the pedal. You can see the raised mechanism which engages the cleats on the shoes. This type of pedal puts most of the pressure on the center of the ball of the foot. This can get quite uncomfortable on a hot day or if the foot is injured. SPD pedals were originally designed of mountain biking where long periods of more or less consistent cadence pedaling it not the norm. Many touring cyclists use SPD pedals because of the ability to walk normally in the shoes but they are just not as comfortable as so called "road" pedals. On the right is the bottom of the sandals with cleats. You will notice that the cleats are recessed which makes walking in the sandals off the bike almost like any other shoes. I say almost because the cleats are shallow enough that you hear the crunching of small stones and other debris that one walks through or on. Some SPD shoes have more deeply recessed cleats but these work fine for my purposes in that they feel completely normal to walk in. I have worn them around home and around town and they feel like any other good quality sandals. The most common alternative is road shoes and cleats. Road cleats are bolted onto the outside of a hard and slippery sole. The cleats are slippery and quite noisy on many surfaces and the whole package is a challenge to walk in, especially on tile floors. They are more comfortable on the bike though as they spread the load on the foot over a larger area, much like the platform side om my new pedals. I expect this sandal and pedal combination to contribute to a very comfortable and relaxed touring experience. Of course a lot of being relaxed has to do with attitude but it is much easier to be relaxed if one's feet do not hurt and he can walk like a normal human when off the bike. Abraham Lincoln said, "When my feet hurt I can't think." It is true on a bicycle.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
09/16/2012 Up and Up and Up then Down and Down and Down with Doug
Miles: 55.0
Time: 5:01:34
Elevation: 4,122
Average Speed: 10.9
Max Speed: 42.2
Doug came to 29 Palms Saturday evening after he finished his "Men's Retreat" near Idyllwild. He came to my place and after some bike talk and chain cleaning we went to dinner at a local Mexican Food place. He left here to go camp at Jumbo Rocks in JTNP and I went to bed and tried my best to sleep because I knew this ride was going to be rough. Sunday morning Doug arrived by bike at my home at about 9:00 and we got on the the road shortly thereafter. We stopped at park headquarters 3 miles out and drank some extra water and used the restroom. We took short breaks at the parking lot on the flat spot just above the park entrance kiosk and at the El Dorado Mine Road junction before stopping for snacks and fluids at Doug's campsite at the 15 mile mark. After our break we started out for Desert View and arrived there about 1 1/2 hours later. At the top we rested awhile and had a pleasant conversation with a French couple who had just come from Las Vegas where the husband had placed second in his age group (50-54) in the Iron Man Triathalon World Championship. We stopped at Doug's truck on the way down for a break. There was a young guy next door named Phil who had come on a loaded touring bike from Oakland, CA, via San Diego and the Low Desert. We compared bikes and talked. Since the plan was for Doug to ride back to my home and have me return him and his bike to his truck we offered to bring Phil a burrito and a beer. The ride to my place, mostly coasting, was uneventful. We loaded Doug's bike into my car and went to the Mexican place and got 3 carne asada burritos, stopped at a mini-mart for the beer then drove back to the Jumbo Rocks Campground. When we arrived it looked like Phil might have left but he had only moved to a shadier campsite in the rocks across the road. Doug was in a hurry to get home so he loaded up and left while I took the stuff, including a gallon of water I brought from my home stash, to Phil. Phil and I talked a bit. He was planning to return to Oakland via Highway 395 and across the Sierras. I did my best to explain to him a route he could take to bypass the town of Yucca Valley which would avoid some steep climbs. We also discussed his options for crossing the Sierra.I expressed the opinion that Tioga Pass might be the easiest in the long run. Even though it is steep it is short and sweet and then it is basically downhill to Oakland from the top. The passes farther north are either very steep and bicycle unfriendly and/or require a lot more climbing to get to.
Time: 5:01:34
Elevation: 4,122
Average Speed: 10.9
Max Speed: 42.2
Doug came to 29 Palms Saturday evening after he finished his "Men's Retreat" near Idyllwild. He came to my place and after some bike talk and chain cleaning we went to dinner at a local Mexican Food place. He left here to go camp at Jumbo Rocks in JTNP and I went to bed and tried my best to sleep because I knew this ride was going to be rough. Sunday morning Doug arrived by bike at my home at about 9:00 and we got on the the road shortly thereafter. We stopped at park headquarters 3 miles out and drank some extra water and used the restroom. We took short breaks at the parking lot on the flat spot just above the park entrance kiosk and at the El Dorado Mine Road junction before stopping for snacks and fluids at Doug's campsite at the 15 mile mark. After our break we started out for Desert View and arrived there about 1 1/2 hours later. At the top we rested awhile and had a pleasant conversation with a French couple who had just come from Las Vegas where the husband had placed second in his age group (50-54) in the Iron Man Triathalon World Championship. We stopped at Doug's truck on the way down for a break. There was a young guy next door named Phil who had come on a loaded touring bike from Oakland, CA, via San Diego and the Low Desert. We compared bikes and talked. Since the plan was for Doug to ride back to my home and have me return him and his bike to his truck we offered to bring Phil a burrito and a beer. The ride to my place, mostly coasting, was uneventful. We loaded Doug's bike into my car and went to the Mexican place and got 3 carne asada burritos, stopped at a mini-mart for the beer then drove back to the Jumbo Rocks Campground. When we arrived it looked like Phil might have left but he had only moved to a shadier campsite in the rocks across the road. Doug was in a hurry to get home so he loaded up and left while I took the stuff, including a gallon of water I brought from my home stash, to Phil. Phil and I talked a bit. He was planning to return to Oakland via Highway 395 and across the Sierras. I did my best to explain to him a route he could take to bypass the town of Yucca Valley which would avoid some steep climbs. We also discussed his options for crossing the Sierra.I expressed the opinion that Tioga Pass might be the easiest in the long run. Even though it is steep it is short and sweet and then it is basically downhill to Oakland from the top. The passes farther north are either very steep and bicycle unfriendly and/or require a lot more climbing to get to.
Friday, September 14, 2012
09/13/2012 Same Old Loop, Different Pedals
Miles: 23.3
Time: 2:00:49
Elevation: 408
Average Speed: 11.1
Max Speed: 19.1
I set out on this ride about 6:30 PM with the objective of testing my new "Commuter Sandals" with platform pedals with toe clips. Since these pedals were already on my Fuji mountain bike along with my good battery powered headlight I took it after strapping on my quick release phone mount and smart phone running the Strava bicycle tracking app. After going west on Amboy Road to Adobe into what I thought was a mild headwind I discovered the real wind was blowing from the East or NE... again. I plodded down to Valley Vista and then settled into tolerating the wind for 4.5 miles. At least it is mostly down hill to the end of Valley Vista. There is still quite a lot of dirt on Valley Vista and Pinto Mountain Roads and this bike handled it much more gracefully than my other two bikes even though it has 1.5" street slicks mounted. The first thing I discovered is that the strap on the phone mount will not clamp onto the thin mountain bike bars tightly enough to keep it from rotating on a rough road. I will try a slice of inner tube under the clamp to see if that will solve the problem. My other, bigger problem was that I did not think about how dark it would get before I finished the route. I did not take a backup headlight or my LED safety vest. By the time I got to the halfway point a bit before the airport it was dark enough to require the headlight. I stopped at the airport for a quick break and a photo or two then started west on Highway 62. About a mile before the turn north onto Utah Trail the headlight battery pack ran dry. The traffic was light and it did not present a serious issue at least on this stretch. The fog line is florescent and it was still glowing from stored sunlight and my taillight was working fine. When I turned onto Utah Trail it became a bit dicier. The new pavement was pitch black as was the sky and there was no fog line. I did OK until cars came in the opposing direction then I was more or less blinded. All I could do was steer towards the middle of the road to make sure I did not run off into the sand shoulder and also be sure to not get far enough to the left to get in the path of the oncoming car. This gave me a somewhat nerve racking 7/8 mile until I got to Luckie park where there are streetlights. From there the last 1 1/2 miles was no problem. As far as the pedals go, the toe clips seemed more comfortable than the SPD mountain bike pedals I have been using. The SPD pedals engage "cleats" attached to the soles of the shoes. This arrangement does not allow for any change in foot position during a ride. It is hard to know if tonight's test was "apples to apples" because it was quite a bit cooler than on the previous rides I have done in the sandals. I still got bad hot spots on the bottoms of my feet near the end of the ride. I got out of the toe clips and used the other side of the pedals the last mile or so. This was a great relief. I think the long term solution may be to use combination pedals which have SPD clips on one side and a flat platform on the other. The "cleats" are recessed on SPD shoes so there is a flat surface to walk on or use to platform pedals. With such pedals I can alternate between the two sides as needed. This option is not available for road bike shoes and pedals as the "cleats" are bolted on the outside of the soles which leaves no flat surface for walking or using standard flat pedals. The other issue is whether or not I had more time on the light than I realized or if the battery is dying. The light could run for at least 2 hours if all is well. It only made it about 1/2 hour tonight. I will have to watch this closely and see if I can tell what is going on. Also I need to consistently take a backup light and my LED vest when I suspect I may be out in the dark.
Time: 2:00:49
Elevation: 408
Average Speed: 11.1
Max Speed: 19.1
I set out on this ride about 6:30 PM with the objective of testing my new "Commuter Sandals" with platform pedals with toe clips. Since these pedals were already on my Fuji mountain bike along with my good battery powered headlight I took it after strapping on my quick release phone mount and smart phone running the Strava bicycle tracking app. After going west on Amboy Road to Adobe into what I thought was a mild headwind I discovered the real wind was blowing from the East or NE... again. I plodded down to Valley Vista and then settled into tolerating the wind for 4.5 miles. At least it is mostly down hill to the end of Valley Vista. There is still quite a lot of dirt on Valley Vista and Pinto Mountain Roads and this bike handled it much more gracefully than my other two bikes even though it has 1.5" street slicks mounted. The first thing I discovered is that the strap on the phone mount will not clamp onto the thin mountain bike bars tightly enough to keep it from rotating on a rough road. I will try a slice of inner tube under the clamp to see if that will solve the problem. My other, bigger problem was that I did not think about how dark it would get before I finished the route. I did not take a backup headlight or my LED safety vest. By the time I got to the halfway point a bit before the airport it was dark enough to require the headlight. I stopped at the airport for a quick break and a photo or two then started west on Highway 62. About a mile before the turn north onto Utah Trail the headlight battery pack ran dry. The traffic was light and it did not present a serious issue at least on this stretch. The fog line is florescent and it was still glowing from stored sunlight and my taillight was working fine. When I turned onto Utah Trail it became a bit dicier. The new pavement was pitch black as was the sky and there was no fog line. I did OK until cars came in the opposing direction then I was more or less blinded. All I could do was steer towards the middle of the road to make sure I did not run off into the sand shoulder and also be sure to not get far enough to the left to get in the path of the oncoming car. This gave me a somewhat nerve racking 7/8 mile until I got to Luckie park where there are streetlights. From there the last 1 1/2 miles was no problem. As far as the pedals go, the toe clips seemed more comfortable than the SPD mountain bike pedals I have been using. The SPD pedals engage "cleats" attached to the soles of the shoes. This arrangement does not allow for any change in foot position during a ride. It is hard to know if tonight's test was "apples to apples" because it was quite a bit cooler than on the previous rides I have done in the sandals. I still got bad hot spots on the bottoms of my feet near the end of the ride. I got out of the toe clips and used the other side of the pedals the last mile or so. This was a great relief. I think the long term solution may be to use combination pedals which have SPD clips on one side and a flat platform on the other. The "cleats" are recessed on SPD shoes so there is a flat surface to walk on or use to platform pedals. With such pedals I can alternate between the two sides as needed. This option is not available for road bike shoes and pedals as the "cleats" are bolted on the outside of the soles which leaves no flat surface for walking or using standard flat pedals. The other issue is whether or not I had more time on the light than I realized or if the battery is dying. The light could run for at least 2 hours if all is well. It only made it about 1/2 hour tonight. I will have to watch this closely and see if I can tell what is going on. Also I need to consistently take a backup light and my LED vest when I suspect I may be out in the dark.
09/10/2012 A Road "Trip"
Miles: 68.4
Time: 6:37:00
Elevation: 4,245
Average Speed: 10.3
Max Speed: 40.5
I got a late start on today's ride because I decided I wanted to Clean the chain on the road bike using the new Pedro's Chain Cleaning Kit generously given to me by my good riding buddy Doug. I knew the chain was a mess but I did not realize how bad it was. It took me over an hour to clean and wax it. I had to put Pedro and the kit degreaser on it twice and use a bunch of elbow grease and the special brush that came with the kit along with my Dollar Store Degreaser and Tub and Tile Cleaner. I finally got it to look decent and let it dry and then applied some of the "Ice Wax" from the kit. By the time I finished the chain and got myself together it was noon, I got away at 12:02. The ride down the highway to Joshua Tree was ugly. It was hot with erratic winds and the motor vehicle drivers seemed extra aggressive and rude, even the professional truck drivers who are supposed to know better. The rule seems to be that if you are on the shoulder than you are not entitled to any room or courtesy. It is not so bad in the few places where the shoulder is 8' wide but where it is 6-12" it gets a bit scary when these 2 or more ton monsters come by at 70 MPH inches away from my left arm. I actually get better treatment if I move out in the traffic lane but I do not like to do this if it is not necessary because all it takes in one person who is not paying attention to turn me into instant road kill. There are some stretches with absolutely no usable shoulder where this is the only option but I will not do it otherwise even though I am legally entitled to. Being in the right dos not help a dead person much. I finally made it to the community park in Joshua Tree where I took a 10 or 15 minute break, ate a granola bar and drank 2 bottles of water. I started up the hill towards the JTNP West Entrance Station. I was not so happy at first, the heat, the wind, being a bit rattled from riding the highway, all played on me but after a few miles I got a bit of shelter from the South wind, it cooled of a some and of course the traffic was considerably thinner, all of which added up to me starting to enjoy the ride. I stopped at the entrance and drank 2 more bottles of water then started up the hill onto the park plateau. Once on the relative flat of the plateau I started feeling much better and started toying with the idea of taking a side trip to Desert View which would add 10-12 miles and several hundred feet of climbing some of it quite steep. I stopped at Quail Springs and ate a Cliff Bar then got going again. At the road to Desert View I decided to go for it and stopped about 1/4 mile in at Cap Rock to drink some water and rest a minute or two. I started up the hill to Desert View. It went well. It took me about 45 minutes to get up. I parked and took a couple of pictures and got a passer by to take mine then got ready to descend. By now I had about 45 minutes of daylight left and 30 miles to go to get home. I migh have made it, barely, except that I still had about 4 miles of climbing to do to get over the two small passes between the road to Desert View and the beginning of he serious downhill back to town. Fortunately I had my small battery powered headlight with me so I put it on the handlebars and took off. I got to the top of the last climb near Jumbo Rocks just after sunset and made it almost to the North Entrance Station before it got really dark. My little light served me well the last 7 miles. I arrived home about 8:00 tired and hungry but well satisfied with the afternoon. .
Time: 6:37:00
Elevation: 4,245
Average Speed: 10.3
Max Speed: 40.5
I got a late start on today's ride because I decided I wanted to Clean the chain on the road bike using the new Pedro's Chain Cleaning Kit generously given to me by my good riding buddy Doug. I knew the chain was a mess but I did not realize how bad it was. It took me over an hour to clean and wax it. I had to put Pedro and the kit degreaser on it twice and use a bunch of elbow grease and the special brush that came with the kit along with my Dollar Store Degreaser and Tub and Tile Cleaner. I finally got it to look decent and let it dry and then applied some of the "Ice Wax" from the kit. By the time I finished the chain and got myself together it was noon, I got away at 12:02. The ride down the highway to Joshua Tree was ugly. It was hot with erratic winds and the motor vehicle drivers seemed extra aggressive and rude, even the professional truck drivers who are supposed to know better. The rule seems to be that if you are on the shoulder than you are not entitled to any room or courtesy. It is not so bad in the few places where the shoulder is 8' wide but where it is 6-12" it gets a bit scary when these 2 or more ton monsters come by at 70 MPH inches away from my left arm. I actually get better treatment if I move out in the traffic lane but I do not like to do this if it is not necessary because all it takes in one person who is not paying attention to turn me into instant road kill. There are some stretches with absolutely no usable shoulder where this is the only option but I will not do it otherwise even though I am legally entitled to. Being in the right dos not help a dead person much. I finally made it to the community park in Joshua Tree where I took a 10 or 15 minute break, ate a granola bar and drank 2 bottles of water. I started up the hill towards the JTNP West Entrance Station. I was not so happy at first, the heat, the wind, being a bit rattled from riding the highway, all played on me but after a few miles I got a bit of shelter from the South wind, it cooled of a some and of course the traffic was considerably thinner, all of which added up to me starting to enjoy the ride. I stopped at the entrance and drank 2 more bottles of water then started up the hill onto the park plateau. Once on the relative flat of the plateau I started feeling much better and started toying with the idea of taking a side trip to Desert View which would add 10-12 miles and several hundred feet of climbing some of it quite steep. I stopped at Quail Springs and ate a Cliff Bar then got going again. At the road to Desert View I decided to go for it and stopped about 1/4 mile in at Cap Rock to drink some water and rest a minute or two. I started up the hill to Desert View. It went well. It took me about 45 minutes to get up. I parked and took a couple of pictures and got a passer by to take mine then got ready to descend. By now I had about 45 minutes of daylight left and 30 miles to go to get home. I migh have made it, barely, except that I still had about 4 miles of climbing to do to get over the two small passes between the road to Desert View and the beginning of he serious downhill back to town. Fortunately I had my small battery powered headlight with me so I put it on the handlebars and took off. I got to the top of the last climb near Jumbo Rocks just after sunset and made it almost to the North Entrance Station before it got really dark. My little light served me well the last 7 miles. I arrived home about 8:00 tired and hungry but well satisfied with the afternoon. .
>
Saturday, September 8, 2012
09/08/2012 Night Manuevers
Miles: 24.0
Time: 2:18:13
Elevation: 507
Average Speed: 10.4
Max Speed: 31.6
I did the usual loop out to the airport and return on the touring bike and mostly in the dark. I got away about 6:45 and the sun set within the first 2-3 miles. By the time I got to the end of Valley Vista (about 7 miles in) where a lot of the road is covered with dirt from recent rains it was dark enough to turn on the headlight. From that point on it was definitely a night ride. It was a beautiful warm evening for a ride, 94 when I left home and 90 when I returned. The traffic was very light. There was an annoying 5-10 MPH east windgoing out to Goodwin Road but then it died out or became a mild tailwind which made the climb back from the airport much more pleasant than usual. I did stop at the airport briefly for photos and a drink but otherwise rode straight through. I left home wearing a flashing LED safety vest and a flashing ankle light. I also had the Planet Bike "Blinky" mounted on the rack and flashing. Did I look like a geek who gives bicyclists everywhere a bad name. Probably. Was I visible? Definitely and I did live to tell about it. How did the new gear work you ask? The Biologic Recharge Unit: I left the house with the phone battery at 92% and running the Strava app. I rode with the hub charging the Biologic and the Biologic charging the phone. When I turned on the headlight I turned off the charge to the Biologic battery and left it charging the phone with no input charge. When I got to the airport the phone was at 93% where it stayed until I got home. The Biologic reports that it is still fully charged. I am not sure what this all means, if the Biologic cannot gain on the phone's battery drain or if the phone is limiting the charge received from the Biologic. Either way it could make using the phone to track a tour and to keep other devices charged a bit difficult. More experience is needed to figure out how this setup is going to work. The Lumotec Headlight: My assertion of yesterday that the light makes maximum illumination at or above 5 MPH turns out to be untrue. The beam gets noticeably brighter around 10-12 MPH. It may get even brighter beyond that but it is hard to detect from the riders vantage. The beam is somewhat irregular in shape but it lights the road well and I was very comfortable riding in it up to my maximum speed of 30 MPH. As I was climbing a short very steep hill on Pinto Mountain Road at about 4 MPH with the light flickering and getting very dim a car came over the brow of the hill from the opposite direction. I was momentarily concerned about being seen but then realized my vest and other lights probably made me quite visible, perhaps even a spectacle! In the future I will carry my small battery powered headlight and run it in flash mode just to guarantee some light in situations where I am going too slow to power the generator light. All in all I consider the ride and the new equipment to be a great success.
Time: 2:18:13
Elevation: 507
Average Speed: 10.4
Max Speed: 31.6
I did the usual loop out to the airport and return on the touring bike and mostly in the dark. I got away about 6:45 and the sun set within the first 2-3 miles. By the time I got to the end of Valley Vista (about 7 miles in) where a lot of the road is covered with dirt from recent rains it was dark enough to turn on the headlight. From that point on it was definitely a night ride. It was a beautiful warm evening for a ride, 94 when I left home and 90 when I returned. The traffic was very light. There was an annoying 5-10 MPH east windgoing out to Goodwin Road but then it died out or became a mild tailwind which made the climb back from the airport much more pleasant than usual. I did stop at the airport briefly for photos and a drink but otherwise rode straight through. I left home wearing a flashing LED safety vest and a flashing ankle light. I also had the Planet Bike "Blinky" mounted on the rack and flashing. Did I look like a geek who gives bicyclists everywhere a bad name. Probably. Was I visible? Definitely and I did live to tell about it. How did the new gear work you ask? The Biologic Recharge Unit: I left the house with the phone battery at 92% and running the Strava app. I rode with the hub charging the Biologic and the Biologic charging the phone. When I turned on the headlight I turned off the charge to the Biologic battery and left it charging the phone with no input charge. When I got to the airport the phone was at 93% where it stayed until I got home. The Biologic reports that it is still fully charged. I am not sure what this all means, if the Biologic cannot gain on the phone's battery drain or if the phone is limiting the charge received from the Biologic. Either way it could make using the phone to track a tour and to keep other devices charged a bit difficult. More experience is needed to figure out how this setup is going to work. The Lumotec Headlight: My assertion of yesterday that the light makes maximum illumination at or above 5 MPH turns out to be untrue. The beam gets noticeably brighter around 10-12 MPH. It may get even brighter beyond that but it is hard to detect from the riders vantage. The beam is somewhat irregular in shape but it lights the road well and I was very comfortable riding in it up to my maximum speed of 30 MPH. As I was climbing a short very steep hill on Pinto Mountain Road at about 4 MPH with the light flickering and getting very dim a car came over the brow of the hill from the opposite direction. I was momentarily concerned about being seen but then realized my vest and other lights probably made me quite visible, perhaps even a spectacle! In the future I will carry my small battery powered headlight and run it in flash mode just to guarantee some light in situations where I am going too slow to power the generator light. All in all I consider the ride and the new equipment to be a great success.
Friday, September 7, 2012
09/07/2012 Rub a Dub Hub, Just Soakin' in the Tub
Miles: 5.8
Time: 0:41:11
Elevation: 206
Average Speed: 8.4
Max Speed: 30.9
I received my "Dyno" wheel and Lumotec N2 Halogen light this afternoon. These items along with the Biologic Recharge Battery Pack are to be the electrical system for my touring bike which will make me energy independent on tour. During the day I can switch the light off and use the dyno to charge the battery pack and consequently my cell phone, the smart phone I run the Strava bicycle tracking app on, my MP3 player and any other small USB chargeable devices I might care to carry. If I ride at night I will have a serviceable headlight always on tap. The wheel came in good shape. It has a Shimano Alfine "Dyno" hub, a Sun CR18 double wall rim and double butted 14/15 spokes. It is a machine built wheel and Harris Cyclery where I purchased it will true and tension the spokes for $12.00 which I had them do. Contrary to some reviews I had read I had absolutely no problem getting the tire on the rim. I did have a small bit of frustration installing the light and battery wires in the hub connector. The drill is to twist the light and battery wires together then plug them into the connector. This would have been a piece of cake with one device only but I had some trouble getting the wires from both devices twisted tightly enough to go through the small holes in the connector. This was a very minor issue and the connector arrangement looks like it will be reliable and durable and easy to unplug in the event the front wheel needs to come off. The Harris Cyclery Dyno Hub web page has a very good graphical depiction of the connector and how to wire it. One thing to notice is that the light, the battery and the connector are all polarized. One must make sure to get the plus and minus wires paired correctly and in the right holes. I mounted the light on the front cantilever brake bolt with the fender and zip tied the Biologic regulator and both light and battery wires to the fork then picked up the front and gave it a spin. The light came on instantly. A good sign. Next I switched off the light and turned the Biologic to "Charge In" and spun the wheel again. The green charge light on the Biologic came on. Success! I next spent some frustrating time improving the front fender installation. I ended up taking the fender off the bike to get the struts right. I will have to do the same with the rear when I get up enough gumption to take on removing the wheel. The front fender comes off with the wheel on but not the back. By now is was well after dark so I put on my helmet and new sandals and went out for a short test ride. The light appears to reach full brightness at about 5 MPH. Below that it dims and flickers. I did not spend the extra money to get the "Standlight" version which charges a capacitor and stays lit to some degree for several minutes after coming to a stop. I do not intend to travel at night except in dire circumstances and if I do I will use a small AA battery powered light set on flashing mode for visibility when not moving. The Lumotec light I chose is halogen and not LED. It makes a beam as good or better than my fairly high end NiCad or NIMH battery powered lights. It may not be quite as good as my friend Doug's expensive (~$100 or more) Lithium battery lights but it requires no charging an only cost $16. It is always available. I imagine some of the more expensive LED lights are fantastic! Eventually I may get a wired taillight but for now will use Planet Bike Blinky lights. I will comment further when I have had a chance to give the Biologic a good test by charging it from the Dyno.
Time: 0:41:11
Elevation: 206
Average Speed: 8.4
Max Speed: 30.9
I received my "Dyno" wheel and Lumotec N2 Halogen light this afternoon. These items along with the Biologic Recharge Battery Pack are to be the electrical system for my touring bike which will make me energy independent on tour. During the day I can switch the light off and use the dyno to charge the battery pack and consequently my cell phone, the smart phone I run the Strava bicycle tracking app on, my MP3 player and any other small USB chargeable devices I might care to carry. If I ride at night I will have a serviceable headlight always on tap. The wheel came in good shape. It has a Shimano Alfine "Dyno" hub, a Sun CR18 double wall rim and double butted 14/15 spokes. It is a machine built wheel and Harris Cyclery where I purchased it will true and tension the spokes for $12.00 which I had them do. Contrary to some reviews I had read I had absolutely no problem getting the tire on the rim. I did have a small bit of frustration installing the light and battery wires in the hub connector. The drill is to twist the light and battery wires together then plug them into the connector. This would have been a piece of cake with one device only but I had some trouble getting the wires from both devices twisted tightly enough to go through the small holes in the connector. This was a very minor issue and the connector arrangement looks like it will be reliable and durable and easy to unplug in the event the front wheel needs to come off. The Harris Cyclery Dyno Hub web page has a very good graphical depiction of the connector and how to wire it. One thing to notice is that the light, the battery and the connector are all polarized. One must make sure to get the plus and minus wires paired correctly and in the right holes. I mounted the light on the front cantilever brake bolt with the fender and zip tied the Biologic regulator and both light and battery wires to the fork then picked up the front and gave it a spin. The light came on instantly. A good sign. Next I switched off the light and turned the Biologic to "Charge In" and spun the wheel again. The green charge light on the Biologic came on. Success! I next spent some frustrating time improving the front fender installation. I ended up taking the fender off the bike to get the struts right. I will have to do the same with the rear when I get up enough gumption to take on removing the wheel. The front fender comes off with the wheel on but not the back. By now is was well after dark so I put on my helmet and new sandals and went out for a short test ride. The light appears to reach full brightness at about 5 MPH. Below that it dims and flickers. I did not spend the extra money to get the "Standlight" version which charges a capacitor and stays lit to some degree for several minutes after coming to a stop. I do not intend to travel at night except in dire circumstances and if I do I will use a small AA battery powered light set on flashing mode for visibility when not moving. The Lumotec light I chose is halogen and not LED. It makes a beam as good or better than my fairly high end NiCad or NIMH battery powered lights. It may not be quite as good as my friend Doug's expensive (~$100 or more) Lithium battery lights but it requires no charging an only cost $16. It is always available. I imagine some of the more expensive LED lights are fantastic! Eventually I may get a wired taillight but for now will use Planet Bike Blinky lights. I will comment further when I have had a chance to give the Biologic a good test by charging it from the Dyno.
09/06/2012 Out and About by Touring Bike
Miles: 23.7
Time: 2:28:56
Elevation: 535
Average Speed: 9.6
Max Speed: 347.
Rode touring bike on usual loop to Pinto Mountain Road, 29 Palms Airport, Park HQ then home through downtown. There is still a lot of dirt on Valley Vista and Pinto Mountain. The touring bike with its 35 mm tires handled it much better than the road bike. Per my log I have not ridden this bike since July 25 and I had forgotten what a smooth relaxed machine it is. Part of the experience is due to the geometry, seating, bar position and butter smooth drive train and part of it is the awareness when you get on that you are not going anywhere in a hurry so you might as well relax and enjoy the ride. This ride was the occasion to test the new fenders and the Keen sandals. I did have some issues with fender adjustment. I stopped a couple of times to make adjustments to the struts. As I was coming down Park Avenue on the way home I just finished congratulated myself on having worked the fender issues out I hit a big bump and knocked the rear completely out of kilter. I had to stop and tweak it again. I may end up having to Locktite it all. I noticed the right rear strut screw is not tight at the bottom eyelet. It is inside the dropouts and next to the cassette and there is no room for a regular hex wrench. I will either have to take the wheel off to tighten it or find a very short allen wrench. I do not relish taking the wheel off of this bike because of the rack and and extra dirty chain and now the fender to complicate things more. The left sandal seems to have aggravated my already existing blisters on the bottom of the foot. I think some or all of the problem is due to the mediocre socks I wore. I will try again with some decent bike socks.
Time: 2:28:56
Elevation: 535
Average Speed: 9.6
Max Speed: 347.
Rode touring bike on usual loop to Pinto Mountain Road, 29 Palms Airport, Park HQ then home through downtown. There is still a lot of dirt on Valley Vista and Pinto Mountain. The touring bike with its 35 mm tires handled it much better than the road bike. Per my log I have not ridden this bike since July 25 and I had forgotten what a smooth relaxed machine it is. Part of the experience is due to the geometry, seating, bar position and butter smooth drive train and part of it is the awareness when you get on that you are not going anywhere in a hurry so you might as well relax and enjoy the ride. This ride was the occasion to test the new fenders and the Keen sandals. I did have some issues with fender adjustment. I stopped a couple of times to make adjustments to the struts. As I was coming down Park Avenue on the way home I just finished congratulated myself on having worked the fender issues out I hit a big bump and knocked the rear completely out of kilter. I had to stop and tweak it again. I may end up having to Locktite it all. I noticed the right rear strut screw is not tight at the bottom eyelet. It is inside the dropouts and next to the cassette and there is no room for a regular hex wrench. I will either have to take the wheel off to tighten it or find a very short allen wrench. I do not relish taking the wheel off of this bike because of the rack and and extra dirty chain and now the fender to complicate things more. The left sandal seems to have aggravated my already existing blisters on the bottom of the foot. I think some or all of the problem is due to the mediocre socks I wore. I will try again with some decent bike socks.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Bike Werks
Yesterday most of the stuff I ordered to upgrade the touring bike and my kit came: German SKS "Longboard" fenders, Planet Bike "Blinky" rack mounted tail light, generic phone mount and Keen "Commuter II Cycling Sandals".
I had already put my mountain bike (SPD) pedals on the touring bike so I put the cleats on the sandals and went for a short ride up and around in the park. The sandals felt a bit tight and narrow per some reviews I had read but felt good to pedal in. I came home and set about to install the fenders. this proved to be a more difficult and frustrating job than I had anticipated.
The stays that hold the fenders off the wheel are "Vee" shaped wire of about 1/8" diameter. The bottom of the "Vee" is attached to eyelets at the bottom of the fork in front and the seat stays in back. They needed to be cut to the correct length to fit the bike. It was not easy to determine what the correct length was and I had to dig around in my tools and find cutting wheel for my Dremel tool. I had difficulty with the hardware that attaches the stays to the fender brackets on the front wheel. The stay is locked in place by a short stud threaded on one end and with a hole in the other which the stay goes through. The stud goes on the stay than a plastic end cap goes on the end of the stay then the stay and cap must go through a hole in the top of the bracket while the stud goes through a hole on the side. The stay and bracket have to be sprung a bit to get he stud in and then it is hard to get it in far enough to get the nut on. I found it much easier on the rear fender but the learning curve on the front was steep.
The front came out OK although I may have left the front most stays a bit too long. I had to take the rear wheel off to fasten the front half of the rear fender to the frame. The chain was a dirty mess and I got my right hand covered in gunk. I cleaned up my hand then fastened the fender to the frame and decided to take a nap before I tackled putting the wheel back on to mount the stays.
When I got up a couple of hours later my friend Doug and I started texting and he suggested I take the chain off and soak it in de-greaser overnight. This made a lot of sense on at least two levels: getting the chain cleaned up and making it much easier and cleaner to get the rear wheel back on. With the chain off and soaking in a tub of Dollar Store de-greaser it was fairly quick work to finish the rear fender.
I did notice this evening that the plastic stay end caps are asymmetrical and I have some of them on backwards. I will fix that tomorrow.
I already have one "Blinky" taillight. It came with a rack bracket and a seatpost or tube bracket. I have 3 bikes and I want a bracket on each so I can use the "Blinkys" which are very visible and easy to operate. Naturally the "Blinkey" mount is a different width than other lights I own so it will not fit their mounting brackets. Very annoying. Now I can leave one light on the touring bike and move the other between the other two bike as I use them and I even have an extra mounting bracket in case I want to get a fourth bike.
The phone mount is also a second one. The one I already have has a base that attaches to the handlebars with screws. This is good for security and theft prevention or at least obstruction but not good for moving the mount between bikes. The new mount has a quick release racheting strap mount which means it can be moved between bikes (or stolen) in seconds. It also has an enclosed case to hold the phone and came with a nice sturdy tether to secure the phone case to the bike. The old mount has an exposed phone holder and has a tether to hold the phone on the mount but not the mount to the bike.
I gambled that the ball of the new mount would be the same diameter as the existing one so I can use either phone holder on either mount and for once I won. I will use the exposed holder most of the time because it will allow the phone to run cooler and the controls will be more accessible. I will be able to easily move the phone and holder between bikes which is a nice convenience. I currently have the new tether attached to slots in the bottom of the old holder so I can easily clip the whole mess to the bike. In the event of a crash the phone my be broken but at least I will be able to find it.
Note: I wore the sandals around last night and on my excursions to the dentist in Apple Valley and the grocery store in town today. They are loosening up and breaking in very nicely and are very comfortable to walk in. If they work as well on the bike on longer rides they are winners.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Holy Smokes its Warm 09/03/2012
Miles: 22.3
Time: 2:05:20
Elevation: 409
Average Speed: 10.7
Max Speed: 24.5
I set off from home about 1:00 PM. It was 97 out. I could feel a NE or ENE wind while going north on Adobe Road. When I turned on to Valley Vista it was dead on in my face, 10-15 MPH. No fun! I had forgotten how much dirt there is on the road at the bottom of Valley Vista and around the corner on Pinto Mountain. I was more prepared and negotiated it better this time. Pinto is more suitable for mountain bikes than my road bike with skinny 1" tires with 125 PSI in them. Hopefully the county will sweep it soon. Naturally about 1/2 mile south on Pinto the wind shifted to the South and picked up. I grunted up to Amboy road and turned east expecting a head wind but it was cross only. I turned south again onto Goodwin into the teeth of the gale. It was a bad combination as there are a couple of pretty steep little rises on Goodwin. I stopped at the 29 Palms Airport which I have not done before. I wanted and needed a break and some pictures for this blog entry (sorry phone camera does not do justice to objects in distance). After a few minutes I saddled up and started west on Highway 62. There was a lot of holiday traffic returning from points east and too many of them were either oblivious or careless or both of me. I find it very annoying when people chose to pass me with a few feet of clearance when they have plenty of room to move over into the opposing lane. Call me a cranky old man but I really do not care to deal with the consequences of being hit by some silly drunk or careless yahoo in a 2 ton beast but I will not stop riding because of the risk either. Four of the last five times I have taken this route the wind has gone from East when I was going east to West when I turned west. Mercifully it did not today, at least until I got 1/2 mile from home. I was feeling the heat and did not relish the prospect of beating against the wind 6 miles back to Utah trail. It is bad enough that most of it is uphill. When I got to Utah I did not feel enthusiastic enough to take the short side trip to Park HQ for water and a rest, instead I turned north on Utah and came home. It was 100 out when I arrived For me temperatures around 100 in direct sun are a bit too much. I do much better below 90 or 95 or later in the evening when the sun is not so intense.
Time: 2:05:20
Elevation: 409
Average Speed: 10.7
Max Speed: 24.5
I set off from home about 1:00 PM. It was 97 out. I could feel a NE or ENE wind while going north on Adobe Road. When I turned on to Valley Vista it was dead on in my face, 10-15 MPH. No fun! I had forgotten how much dirt there is on the road at the bottom of Valley Vista and around the corner on Pinto Mountain. I was more prepared and negotiated it better this time. Pinto is more suitable for mountain bikes than my road bike with skinny 1" tires with 125 PSI in them. Hopefully the county will sweep it soon. Naturally about 1/2 mile south on Pinto the wind shifted to the South and picked up. I grunted up to Amboy road and turned east expecting a head wind but it was cross only. I turned south again onto Goodwin into the teeth of the gale. It was a bad combination as there are a couple of pretty steep little rises on Goodwin. I stopped at the 29 Palms Airport which I have not done before. I wanted and needed a break and some pictures for this blog entry (sorry phone camera does not do justice to objects in distance). After a few minutes I saddled up and started west on Highway 62. There was a lot of holiday traffic returning from points east and too many of them were either oblivious or careless or both of me. I find it very annoying when people chose to pass me with a few feet of clearance when they have plenty of room to move over into the opposing lane. Call me a cranky old man but I really do not care to deal with the consequences of being hit by some silly drunk or careless yahoo in a 2 ton beast but I will not stop riding because of the risk either. Four of the last five times I have taken this route the wind has gone from East when I was going east to West when I turned west. Mercifully it did not today, at least until I got 1/2 mile from home. I was feeling the heat and did not relish the prospect of beating against the wind 6 miles back to Utah trail. It is bad enough that most of it is uphill. When I got to Utah I did not feel enthusiastic enough to take the short side trip to Park HQ for water and a rest, instead I turned north on Utah and came home. It was 100 out when I arrived For me temperatures around 100 in direct sun are a bit too much. I do much better below 90 or 95 or later in the evening when the sun is not so intense.
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