Happy Halloween

Posted by another cycling dude: Two Cities Two Wheels

Jedi Master?

I awoke at 9:45 to a beautiful sunny day... looking forward to a nice ride. Julie also had the day off... and she seemed to have plans of her own. (as girlfriends tend to do) She wanted to spend the day with me... doing something woodsy requiring lots of walking... completely non bicycle related. After some discussion and suggesting that a drive up north on a Friday may not be the best idea traffic wise... we came to the conclusion that a nice bike ride would do me some good. (old Jedi mind trick)

I actually managed a 70km ride in the west Island, went shopping & was sitting back on the couch having a beer by 5:30 pm... while Julie was cooking dinner. (Jedi Master)

Actually... Julie is very supportive of my cycling & I love her dearly for it.

I've also promised to cook dinner at one point this week end...

Need motivation... again

I had Julie's car for the last 3 days... got kinda used to it. Tomorrow I'm off once again. It's supposed to be nice... yet cycling is not first on my list. Sleeping in, not showering, watching "the Price is Right"... would appear to be at the top. I need motivation... again.

MUST... GO... RIDING.

Unexpected but good

Last night before going to bed I checked the weather forecast. It was not good... 60 to 70 percent chance of rain with 20 to 24 mm to come in the next 24 hours. A nice ride on my day off seemed unlikely. Lately the weather has not cooperated at all in this area. So off to bed without setting the alarm... with plans of sleeping in and having a completely non productive day. I awoke at 9:30 am to an unusually bright bedroom. As I peered outside with pillow marks still stamped to my face, I saw a beautiful, sunny, not a cloud in the sky day. I checked the forecast again on Meteo Media (they always get it wrong... but anyway) It was 20 Celsius outside. The rain would only come in the afternoon. I would like to say I was out the door in 15 minutes... but that would be a lie. It was still my day off... and when you've geared yourself to be lazy all day... you can't just get "unlazy" in 15 minutes. So I left at 11:00 am... well no... actually 11:30 am. (I went to Second Cup first... good muffins) When I finally got going... I was bitching and moaning about how windy it was... but motivation came in the way of an old plan. Mission Impossible anyone? I actually found a slightly different route and shaved 9km of the trip. (68km instead of 77km, lazy... remember?)

I had a bit of rain upon my return... but overall a good ride... unexpected but good. I will take what I can get.

You can smell it...

I'm still not quite recovered from my cold... (coughing up some nasty stuff) I still however commute to work every day. My nose has returned & has begun to smell that smell in the evenings...that fall smell... you know the one.
I gingerly prepare myself for my first winter as a cyclist. I ask myself this question... will I be able to continue cycling this winter? I know that my day trips are drawing to an end. I know that the bicycle paths in Montreal close on November 1st. I know it can also snow here... from time to time... ok all the time.

I was in unknown territory last spring when I began this odyssey, but I had some other cyclists to guide me threw the basics. The winter months belong to a select few... will I be one of them?
I may not know exactly what I'm in for, but I have begun to make purchases.
I got one of those fancy coats that breathes and stuff. I used it to go to Granby. Waterproof yes... but not for ever. This was the same coat I was sweating & freezing in. (could have been the fever)
The darkness in the mornings made me get a rear blinking light... ok... everybody else had one... I wanted one too. My hands where cold... needed some gloves... it's October... figured I would get in the spirit. I still have many other things to get. The thought of not cycling for 3 to 4 months does not sit well with me. The suggestion of a stationary bike is just depressing. I will attempt the winter... I have experience to acquire... but an honest effort to attain it will be done. At the first sight of ice or snow I will not shy away. I will however humbly ask the Supercycle for it's help... if it will have me.

Hot & Cold... with talking cows.

Friday evening Julie said I had a fever & perhaps I should reconsider my trip... but she left the decision up to me & would support me either way. I loaded up on pills and cough syrup before going to bed, hoping I would wake up miraculously healed.
The next morning I felt... sort of kinda better. (not really... but I wanted this last trip)
The forecast called for rain in the afternoon and a high of 15c.

-I believed I could get to Granby before the rain started.
-I believed the daytime cold medicine would work.
-I believed that 110km would be a piece of cake.

I also now believe that cold medicine can make you believe in just about anything.

I left at 7:00 am and for the first 55 km everything seemed to work in my favor. (the weather & the pills) Sometime after that however I began to sweat... allot. I was drenched and felt dizzy. I emptied my gatorade and popped some more pills. For a time everything seemed to fall back into place.
Then I stopped to take a picture of some cows by the side of the path, most of them where lying down (that means rain). I also believe that some of them where trying to speak to me. (that means fever) A slight drizzle began & I was now getting cold. I figured if I rode harder for a bit it would warm me up. The drizzle became rain, steady non relenting rain. I now know that it is possible to sweat & freeze all at once. I discovered that Granby was 10km further than my original estimate & the fine town of Farnham decided to encourage cycling tourism by laying down new gravel on their bike paths... 4 inches thick of the stuff. The tears on my face were kinda warm. When I arrived at Granby, I put on a (fake) smile & asked a woman wearing a poncho walking her dog for directions to the hotel. " OH!?... that's way on the other side of town... no where near the bike path... you could take a taxi?" An ambulance was more my train of thought. I rode another 6km to the hotel. (126km total) After a bath, some beer , a nap & Julie's arrival... things seemed better. Sometime later that evening at the Cage aux Sports, after the Canadiens loss in overtime... I decided to return home with Julie the following day. The Scrambler (who's performance was beyond reproach) safely tucked in the back of the minivan.

I did however go apple picking the next day...

Granby

This is it... my last big trip of 2007. The Scrambler appears ready for the challenge & so do I. Over the last 2 weeks I have adjusted to changing weather conditions & increased my distances. The trip consists of over 230 km during 2 days, the promise of a Cage aux Sports, a motel & a nice warm body upon my arrival in Granby. I can't wait... (for the trip)

Ok maybe the other stuff too...

Itchy...

With a long week-end coming up... there is an itch that needs to be scratched. Perhaps some sort of voyage to a far off land.
The new link in the sidebar may be a clue.
Monteregie - Cycling

Motivation.

I went for a lunchtime ride again today at work. I had a bit of extra time so I decided to do the Verdun loop as I call it.(24km)


Today was a day for real cyclists. It was sunny but only 14c and pretty windy. I started off pretty easy averaging only 2o km/hr. I needed some motivation. At one point a squadron of "road freaks" passed me in formation. (like the yellow and blue shirts) I like to sometimes use other cyclists as motivation to work harder & go faster... but I do try and stay in my range.(middle age male, slight beer gut) Well lo and behold 10km in my ride I get passed by similar dude...(MTB & slight beer gut)Perfect. I noticed that he actually had to work to pass me & his pace had reduced once he believed he had cleared and gotten rid of me... Believed. Within a few minutes I caught up to him but stayed back. I established the same pace as him a waited for my move. I did not want to make the same mistake as him & run out of steam. After awhile he noticed I was tailing him... looking back every so often trying to figure out my intentions... he knew... he picked up the pace... so did I. I became a thorn in his side... he could not shake me... the pass was inevitable. I knew there was a slight hill coming up then a nice long downhill. Like Lance Armstrong... I would take him in the mountains.
I pulled up next to him... side by side in the hill. Both of us not giving an inch. Then a mistake... he changed gears (anticipating the downhill) too soon. His paced reduced... I passed him moments later... and then "click,click" off I went. I never looked back... (to afraid) to see my opponent. I rode hard for the next 10km... and never saw him again. Hey... motivation is where you find it.

"Kanawaki!?"

I have been doing my lunch time ritual everyday this week. (punishment for not doing a long ride in a while) I stopped halfway to read the sign with the map of bicycle paths on the Montreal Island... trying to find some secret area I may not have covered yet. On the top left corner I noticed a partial map of the South Shore... I had passed near it many times... just never actually crossed the bridge. I studied what you could see of the fractioned map and noticed there was actually a path that seemed to go along the the St Lawrence. It would go threw places like Brossard, La Prairie, Ste. Chatherine, Kanawaki... "Kanawaki!?" I actually said this out loud... "What if...?" You know that grin you get when you think of something completely diabolical?
(ok it's important that you start humming the Mission Impossible theme at this point... I did)

Kanawaki: Indian Reserve where one may procure illegal cheap cigarettes.

The government does not approve of us buying this merchandise... therefore may seize and confiscate you're car if caught. "CAR!!!" Are you guys paying attention? (Mission Impossible theme gets louder) Who would suspect a cyclist?... It was brilliant! ( I know it goes against all cycling morals... that's why I love it) I would go after work... penetrate the reserve disguised as a cyclist... load the booty in my bag and return to Montreal completely unnoticed. The excitement and the humming would build all afternoon.

15:45 : Departure from Westmount (humming Mission Impossible)
16:20 to 16: 40 : Had to wait for the suspended bridge to come down (stopped humming for 20 min.)
17:30 : Penetration of reserve ( actually pretty easy... it's not like going to Mexico or anything)
17:40 : Purchase of Smokes (I actually whore sunglasses)
20:00 : Arrival (booty successfully transported)



Distance: 77 km
Cost: $16 (carton of smokes)
Don't you love it when a plan comes together.




To any law enforcement officials reading this blog: carton of cigarettes was found by side of road... unknown origin.

Mid cycling crisis... of sorts

All is well with my ass... more specificly my legs. Took a break over the week end (again). The seat position seems good. I however (once again) feel I must regain my shape. I`ts not fair... just a few days off... & I feel all wrong... lazy... & fat (food, beer, wine & chocolate will do that to you). My lunch time ride (16km) wich is very benificial & time saving... has become very boring. Oh I still do it... use it as an excuse to not ride after work. Basicly... I beleive I need to plan something new... big... soon... but what? I guess this is mid cycling crisis of sorts.

Supercycle repairs have begun... I may however invest more in repairs than originaly planned... we shall see. (I like getting my hands dirty... what?)

What's wrong with the way I sit?

I have put about 450km on the Norco.
Lately however I have felt pain in my legs while riding... Am I getting old? (rhetorical... no comments)
Have I somehow over done it? (keep in mind I'm smoking a cigarette & having a beer while writing this) Perhaps some old football injury? (all that bench warming time finally catching up to me)

Apparently... seat positioning could be the cause. I adjusted the seat just like anybody would, for comfort. Well... after speaking to some experts... (guy at work who's biked longer than me)
Just having the seat a few millimeters different from what I had on the Supercycle... could cause this. So I've lowered it a bit & moved it back some... we shall see.

Haven't forgotten the Supercycle...


I bought a new (second hand) shifter. I will get new tire and inner tube over the weekend... maybe next week the repairs will begin.

97km... sound familiar

Friday I did the West Island... again... counter clockwise this time. Just as hot and humid as last time... could not find any yellow and blue shirts however. Just as well... I did not have the energy.

The Scrambler (just call the new bike that) has settled in nicely... still having some disc brake rubbing... but minor. I've done 360km so far on the new ride... so guess what? Over 2000km done this year... about 2000km more than I expected in April.

Responsibility...

I used to use plain old (bicycle/lawn mower/hinge/rusty stuff) oil.
I have now upgraded to this fine "midrange" product.

With a reasonable bike... comes reasonable responsibility...

200km break in...

Well here we are...
After spending allot... I mean allot of time adjusting everything... here are my first impressions on the new ride.

Positive:
- Shifters are great (one click done)
- Front suspension is handy (Montreal, the pot hole capitol)
- Disc Brakes are neat (can actually stop where I planned to)
- Cup holder... WOW! (Supercycle did not have the screws for it(insert macho innuendo here))
- Looks good (babe magnet... not me the bike)

Negative:
- Front & especially rear derailleur were a pain in the ass to adjust & need continuous check ups... (It's not me... just delicate is all)
- Quick release... (Quickly stolen...)
- Disc brakes scream like a banchy when wet (How do I know what a wet Banchy sounds like?...?)
- Fragile? (I haven't really ridden it rough yet... (insert more macho innuendo here))

Over all very happy...

Tomorrow is my day off... do I hear "DAY TRIP!"