Suck #1 of 2012 and its redemption

Today was to be a gorgeous day in the ICT, 70 and Sunny, in late February.  It also coincided with my favorite day of the week, Wednesday.  This is mine, all mine, except when goaded or provoked by the misses.  So I was schoolboy excited but I was also in some kind of physical hell.  I just can not seem to recover from the Chili Bike on Sunday.  My arms are shot, my bruising fucking hurts, and my leg feels like it could cramp at any moment.  Lethargy is my enemy this week and I'm fighting everyday.  So take that lethargy and the school girl excitement of warm weather, and you get the fucked up shit I did today.  I drove 17 miles to the old stomping ground when I lived in downtown.  I can't begin to count the number of rides that have jumped off from the Northwest YMCA.  I began to dress for the ride, so excited to be riding outdoors and on tubulars.  The first thing that went south was I failed to do a battery check on the MP3 player.  NO JUICE.  Well I've rode quieter plenty of times, no big deal.  Got everything ready and went to put my helmet on. FUCK!  Forgot to bring my helmet, it was safe and snug in my drawer at home.  Well I talked myself in to riding anyway, I mean I did drive the gas hog 17 miles to get here.  Wasn't breaking state law or anything like that so EH! I rode anyway.  The ride began, into a very expected hellish West wind.  5.86km (<4mi) in and things were A-OK.  Then I heard the pop and the hiss.  My tubular had hit something while riding where a tubular shouldn't be ridden.  I used my can of quick flate and a CO2 with no result.  Thank God you can ride on a flat tubular!  My total 11.72km in about an hour.

The day turned out to be quite ok.  The misses cut out of work early.  She and I picked up the wee one early, taking him to the park.  There is no greater joy as a father then playing with your child.  We ran his legs off and by 6 pm he was about to fall out.

Turd

Since my move back in February my commute has gotten MUCH shorter.  I have shaved 11 miles off my commute that I normally did 3 times a week.  With the week on/week off visitation of my son I bike even less now.  I quickly realized how impractical it was to commute how I was used to.  Kitting up and clipping in took longer than the commute did!  Something had to be done and now it has...with Turd.

Turd is a 70's Fuji Sports 12 that I have converted to a single speed.  When all the parts were stripped to nothing, I discovered that the gearing was 53-22, and that the 53 was welded to the spider.  Just north of absolutely fucking ridiculous.  Every time I tried to get started, my knees felt like they would snap.  So I shelved it and rode my 12 speed.  Then Brie decided that she wanted a single speed cruiser and suggested that I should actually ride the Turd with her.  Presented with that challenge, I sought help and support from Mike over at The Bike Cave.

Mike and his crew are a bunch of good guys just trying to make the world a little better, and cheaper, for us cyclists out there.  They like fixies and bike polo but any problem is no problem for them.  They have a full shop and will offer guidance and support.  Do it yourselfers like me are welcome to borrow tools, donations always welcome.  Mike set up me up with a set of mismatched crank arms, perfect for the Turd!  Exchanging out the Fuji's which are weapons grade and kinda nostalgic. 

Rode in this morning for the first time since the swap and I must say that the Turd is absolutely charming.  Ugly as sin and stripped down, can't help smiling and shaking my head in disgust.  Gearing at 44-22.

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Failure

Brent and I made it just about 20 miles.  We had a super awesome tailwind pushing us to over 40 miles an hour without pedaling one little bit.  Such a strange feeling to feel the moment loss going up hill and realizing that equates to 20 miles an hour!   Shattered my derailleur and that was the end of the ride.  Sometime as I sat with my head in my hands alone in my little world, Brent tried to single speed me up so we could get home.  Cut the chain too short leaving me with a nice big walking stick.

The Crosscheck was present

There was a Vaya too!

WC early on the linear path

WC in happier times

I believe this is what ultimately sunk the rear derailleur.  Thank God you can't smell this!

UH-OH!

One of the last feel good moments

Fucked

Almost there!

The countdown to my first century is approaching a mere 36 hrs.  I am getting very nervous.  Probably because I chose my first century to be on gravel, in the Flint hills no less!  More than just a long ass ride this will be a ride of camaraderie.  WC has asked me to not only ride with him but to sheperd him through the tough times and to not leave his ass in the dirt.  This will be the second attempt at this ride for him.  The first met with dismal failure, a crucial wrong turn and a pretty chilly day left him off course and short of his 100.  Our task is simple then finish the ride and don't get fucking lost.  Sounds simple enough doesn't it?

I've spent the last week gearing my bike up for the journey.  Could I do this ride with less?  Most certainly but not knowing how this is going to go leaves me very hesitant to "save weight."  Finally got my shifting troubles solved on the Cross check, they had been plaguing me the last few rides.  Unfortunately I will not be able to carry the three water bottles I wanted to because the apparatus rubs my legs and I'm not putting up with that shit!  I can't see stuffing myself with Hammer Gel for 10 hours!  Therefore I've got some shopping to do tomorrow, I'm making Allen Lim's rice cakes,




Not much of a photo bug but a full report and photos should be up by Tuesday evening.  Have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Welcome

Since 2009, I have blogged as a member of the now defunct Wichita Cycling.  Since the name has now changed, I feel that I too should change.  When the blog first started, I was so wrapped up in cycling that I couldn't see anything else in front of me.  A change in life made me realize just how much cycling was not only enhancing my life but holding me back.  It was a strange admission for someone so passionate about cycling that all that pedaling was not getting me to the highest planes of satisfaction.  Now my life has become so much more, it is more balanced and certainly a hell of a lot more fun.  I look forward to life now, not just wonder when I'm going to get that next ride in.  Because really life is about cherishing the time you do have, not angrily forcing time to bend toward your will.

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