I want to reassure those of you who figured I got buried in a snowdrift on my bike during the snow storm that I am doing fine. I apologize for the long period of time between entries. You would think that while we were snowed in, I could have found the time to do a blog entry, right? You REALLY didn't want me to do a blog entry on any of those days. My mother and children read this blog, so I try to keep the cuss words down to a minimum. Any blog entries, minus the cuss words, during the snow storm would have been very very short. The snow had definitely put a damper on my mood. Now that I am able to talk (write) in complete sentences (usually) without steam blowing out of my ears, I think I can do an entry.
So, in case you hadn't heard... we got some snow. From Friday evening to Saturday evening (2/5 - 2/6) we accumulated about 26 inches of snow in Arnold, MD. I went out in the blizzard (yes, we had blizzard conditions) on Saturday and spent the better part of 6 hours shoveling the driveway so that when the snow finally stopped, the John Deere would only have 8 inches of snow to plow instead of 26. On Sunday morning I began plowing the driveway with the John Deere. I added some weights to the back of the tractor, which helped with the traction tremendously, and it had no problem pushing the snow. The problem was, where do you go with 26 inches of snow? The John Deere has no capability to lift the snow, so it can only go as far as I could push it. I came up with ways to push it as far as possible, and after a couple hours of plowing... the driveway was clear. Time to relax, warm up and get ready for the Super Bowl. It was nice to watch the game with out really giving a rip one way of the other who wins. I dislike both teams for different reasons, but I was hoping to see The Colts win because I enjoyed watching them dismantle the Jets 2 weeks before. Maybe it was because I was tired, or maybe it was just me, but I thought the game and most of the commercials were very boring.
With so much snow in the area, and not nearly enough equipment to remove it, the Federal Government (which is who my employer follows in regards to Operating Status in foul weather) was closed on Monday and Tuesday while the District of Columbia tried to clear the roads. The Metro system closed all of its above ground stations, Commuter Rail service was canceled, it was a mess. NOW, to make things even more interesting, we got another 12 inches of snow on Tuesday. These are record breaking totals, and like I said in my previous entry... it's all my fault. Well, the John Deere handled moving that snow as well, and when it was all said and down, I was about ready to head to the Bay Bridge and jump. We will not see green grass until July. The bike trail is just a distant memory, and in someplaces you can not tell where it is, it is just a field of snow. The forecast has the temperatures rising above freezing during the day, and below freezing at night. That means snow will melt, causing the roads to become wet, temps will drop causing aforementioned melted snow to turn to ice. Ice + bicyle = disastrous results. I am officially depressed. Hopefully someone has taken the Viagra away from 'old man winter' and we will have no snow for the rest of the season. (By the way, i'd like to get my hands on that damn groundhog too!)
The Severna Park Peloton IS a hardy group though. On Saturday a small group of riders were out enjoying the fresh clean air that the snow brings. The ride was an impromptu event and I did not know about it, so I did not take part, but I hooked up with my riding buddy Mike on Sunday and we enjoyed a GREAT ride out to Sandy Point, Thomas Point by way of The Hard Bean coffee shop at City Dock in Annapolis. Check out his ride report here. Mike's ride report On Monday, Presidents Day, I rode alone from the Park and Ride in Severna Park to The Hard Bean and back by way of St. Margret's Road and College Parkway. I can't do the fancy ride reports because I do not have a Garmin 705 Edge GPS computer for my bike... yet!
Tuesday, there was a threat of more snow, and in the early morning hours we did get a dusting, which discourage any street riding. It was either the trainer or sleep in. When the alarm went off... I rolled over and slept in until it was time to go to work. I checked email last night to see if any SPP riders were planning to ride this morning. There were no declarations of insanity, so I figure everyone was waiting another day before braving the roads. When I check email this morning at work, 3 hearty (and slightly insane) SPP riders rode this morning and reported that the road route was passable with caution and they would be out riding again tomorrow morning. I can guarantee you that I will be out there with them. I rode the trainer for 45 minutes this morning and I would rather be cold and cautiously icy than riding on the trainer. In the infamous words of my bike buddy Mike ... "Just say NO to trainers."
So there you have it. I was depressed, and sat around the house eating bon bon's all week. But now that we are on the road to recover (pray for warm rain for a complete meltdown) I am feeling much better. Thanks for listening to my rant, and I hope you will stop by again soon.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
What a bummer
Well, I got in my last ride on the roads for a while I am afraid. The impending snowstorm has definitely dampened my mood. I will be sentenced to ride the trainer in the garage until the road ways have been cleared enough for safe passage by bicycle.
Our ride this morning was well attended with 9 of us making the trek from the Rusty Bridge in Severna Park to The Hard Bean in Annapolis. Everyone had the storm on their mind, knowing that this would be the last ride on the roads for a while. The nickname "snow-magedon" has been adopted, as the weather prognosticators have forecast between 12 and 30 inches of snow. Yuck.
To make matters even more depressing for our ride, I was blessed with 2 flat tires this morning. It is funny (not funny "haha", but funny "strange") because I thought to myself as I was loading the bike into the 4Runner this morning... "I have had pretty good luck with the new tires I put on the bike. I haven't had a flat in a while." Well, I made up for it in one day. As I was coming down a hill, just about to turn onto Richie Highway, I hit a pot hole that was just big enough to traumatize my tires, causing them both to go flat. Mike, Brian and I pulled well off the road (this is the same road, and almost the same spot that Mike got hit the other day) and started changing the tire. Brian jumped right in and started removing the flat tube, while I dug out the new tube from my seat bag. I got my CO2 containers of air ready, and once we figured out how to use the CO2 device, we were filling the tire with air. I thought to myself, "wow, the rear tire went flat, but nothing happened to the front tire, and it hit the pot hole first." So, just to be sure, I checked the front tire and sure enough it was flat as well. Off the bike it came, Mike started on that one and I produced my 2nd spare tube (I am glad I had 2 of them). That one got changed and full of air, and off we went. That probably set us back about 15 minutes. Thanks to everyone that helped, it was nice to have a group of people around to help get you back on your bike quicker.
The rest of the ride was uneventful. We enjoyed good coffee, pastry and conversation at The Hard Bean, and as we headed back to Severna Park, you could just feel the impending doom of the weather. I apologized to everyone on the ride, letting them know that the weather this past winter has been all my fault. Usually, I welcome the snow. It was really not a big interruption of my life. If it snowed and I didn't have to go out... I stayed in. If I had to go out, I was confident in my abilities to drive in snow, coupled with taking into consideration the other idiots who have no clue how to drive in snow. Now, snow is the enemy. Since I started riding with the 5:45 group, there is virtually no conditions that I will not ride in, with the exception of snow and ice. I have ridden with temps as low as 15 degrees, I have ridden in the rain, in the wind, etc. but snow forces me to make a choice. Stay in bed, and get fat. Or, ride the trainer and learn to like it. I am hoping that I will choose the 2nd choice more often than the first. So, because I needed it not to snow this winter, so I can ride, we have had record snowfalls, and we are only into the first week of February. So you see, it's all my fault. Sorry everyone.
I will try to make the most of the trainer. I am going to go home, put as much weight on the John Deere as I can so I get better traction, move the cars around in the garage so the John Deere is ready to start plowing when the snow stops, and I am going to set up the laptop so I can watch a movie while I am inside riding the trainer. I guess I will make the best out of a snowy situation.
For those of you who will be affected by the snow, please be safe and stay off the roads (I don't want to have to take YOUR driving into consideration in case I have to go out). As for those of you not affected by the snow... I'm jealous.
Our ride this morning was well attended with 9 of us making the trek from the Rusty Bridge in Severna Park to The Hard Bean in Annapolis. Everyone had the storm on their mind, knowing that this would be the last ride on the roads for a while. The nickname "snow-magedon" has been adopted, as the weather prognosticators have forecast between 12 and 30 inches of snow. Yuck.
To make matters even more depressing for our ride, I was blessed with 2 flat tires this morning. It is funny (not funny "haha", but funny "strange") because I thought to myself as I was loading the bike into the 4Runner this morning... "I have had pretty good luck with the new tires I put on the bike. I haven't had a flat in a while." Well, I made up for it in one day. As I was coming down a hill, just about to turn onto Richie Highway, I hit a pot hole that was just big enough to traumatize my tires, causing them both to go flat. Mike, Brian and I pulled well off the road (this is the same road, and almost the same spot that Mike got hit the other day) and started changing the tire. Brian jumped right in and started removing the flat tube, while I dug out the new tube from my seat bag. I got my CO2 containers of air ready, and once we figured out how to use the CO2 device, we were filling the tire with air. I thought to myself, "wow, the rear tire went flat, but nothing happened to the front tire, and it hit the pot hole first." So, just to be sure, I checked the front tire and sure enough it was flat as well. Off the bike it came, Mike started on that one and I produced my 2nd spare tube (I am glad I had 2 of them). That one got changed and full of air, and off we went. That probably set us back about 15 minutes. Thanks to everyone that helped, it was nice to have a group of people around to help get you back on your bike quicker.
The rest of the ride was uneventful. We enjoyed good coffee, pastry and conversation at The Hard Bean, and as we headed back to Severna Park, you could just feel the impending doom of the weather. I apologized to everyone on the ride, letting them know that the weather this past winter has been all my fault. Usually, I welcome the snow. It was really not a big interruption of my life. If it snowed and I didn't have to go out... I stayed in. If I had to go out, I was confident in my abilities to drive in snow, coupled with taking into consideration the other idiots who have no clue how to drive in snow. Now, snow is the enemy. Since I started riding with the 5:45 group, there is virtually no conditions that I will not ride in, with the exception of snow and ice. I have ridden with temps as low as 15 degrees, I have ridden in the rain, in the wind, etc. but snow forces me to make a choice. Stay in bed, and get fat. Or, ride the trainer and learn to like it. I am hoping that I will choose the 2nd choice more often than the first. So, because I needed it not to snow this winter, so I can ride, we have had record snowfalls, and we are only into the first week of February. So you see, it's all my fault. Sorry everyone.
I will try to make the most of the trainer. I am going to go home, put as much weight on the John Deere as I can so I get better traction, move the cars around in the garage so the John Deere is ready to start plowing when the snow stops, and I am going to set up the laptop so I can watch a movie while I am inside riding the trainer. I guess I will make the best out of a snowy situation.
For those of you who will be affected by the snow, please be safe and stay off the roads (I don't want to have to take YOUR driving into consideration in case I have to go out). As for those of you not affected by the snow... I'm jealous.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
FAT TUESDAY
OK, so it's not REALLY fat Tuesday, but with me traveling the past couple of weeks, and the dumping of another 8 inches of snow on Saturday, I have managed to gain 2 pounds. Not a big deal, I am not in crisis mode... we are going to Ruby Tuesdays as planned. It just means that I need to ride a little harder and longer and faster when the snow melts enough to get back on the bike.
It is never easy to maintain a healthy eating routine when traveling. I spent last weekend in our New York office doing scheduled maintenance and reconfiguring the firewall. It was nice to work alone in the office, not because I don't enjoy the company of the guys that work there, it's just that I find I get a whole lot more done. The drive up to New York on Friday evening was very long and very slow. I was on the New Jersey Turnpike on a Friday at rush hour. I did not plan that very well.
What is nice about New York is that I am able to drive to the hotel and the office, which means that I can schlep around all the food I need to stay on track. I brought some salmon, and pork chops, already baked sweet potatoes, plenty of salad ingredients. I brought along fruit and snacks for work... so I was pretty well set. The problem was that I did not bring my bike. Sure I rode the stationary bike at the hotel, but it just isn't the same. It tells you when to increase the tempo or pedal harder, as opposed to being on the bicycle and YOU deciding how fast you want to go up that hill, or how long you want to keep the cadence above 100. You actually 'move' on a real bicycle too. The stationary bike just wasn't cutting it. I did an hour each day, and didn't have that good work out feeling that I get from riding a real bike.
From New York I headed north to see my Mom and Dad. That was another day sitting in the car. Only this trip was during monsoon weather. It was raining buckets and the wind was blowing 40 - 50 mph gusts. Going over the Tapanzee Bridge in New york, I felt like I was going to be blown over the side. There were 2 spots along the trip where I was detoured from the highway because of high standing water. What was happening was the water was eroding the embankments along the highway, loosening the dirt around the roots of the trees, and the wind was blowing the trees over into the road. The drive that normally takes me 4 hours took me the better part of 6 hours. No working out at my parents house. Not that I couldn't have... I just didn't.
Tuesday I did some visiting with a former teacher and a former sister in law. These visits were preparations for the New England Classic ride in July. My former teacher said that having me in his office was like an episode of "Cold Case". He was picturing me like I was 27 years ago when I was in high school. It was sort of surreal to walk through the high school again. The kids look so young...I was not that young when I went to high school.
Wednesday I was off again, headed home. I snuck out of my parents house at 3:45 a.m. and headed to the New York office. I had a computer that I needed to drop off there, and then I was on my way back to Maryland. Another day in the car, with no exercise... and what is there to do in the car. Driving on long trips is SO boring. It's no wonder I fell asleep at the wheel when I was younger. There is nothing to do when you are driving. Bite your nails and pick your nose... that's about it. The radio is OK for about 15 minutes, then all the songs start sounding the same. This is a perfect scenario for mindless nibbling. Twizzlers are my favorite, but pretzels work just as well, which is what I had with me.
So there you have it. Traveling, coupled with lack of bicycle riding and you gain 2 pounds in 2 weeks. I am scheduled to travel to Chicago the week of the 21st of February. I am looking for a place that rents bicycles in Chicago. I figure I can get a pretty good rate to rent a bicycle in Chicago in the middle of February.
That pretty much gets you up to date. I am very busy at work, getting ready to make the trip to Chicago. I am finishing the flyers and the web site for the New England Classic fundraising, and Emily will be here this weekend. I will post again when before I go to Chicago.
Thanks for reading.
It is never easy to maintain a healthy eating routine when traveling. I spent last weekend in our New York office doing scheduled maintenance and reconfiguring the firewall. It was nice to work alone in the office, not because I don't enjoy the company of the guys that work there, it's just that I find I get a whole lot more done. The drive up to New York on Friday evening was very long and very slow. I was on the New Jersey Turnpike on a Friday at rush hour. I did not plan that very well.
What is nice about New York is that I am able to drive to the hotel and the office, which means that I can schlep around all the food I need to stay on track. I brought some salmon, and pork chops, already baked sweet potatoes, plenty of salad ingredients. I brought along fruit and snacks for work... so I was pretty well set. The problem was that I did not bring my bike. Sure I rode the stationary bike at the hotel, but it just isn't the same. It tells you when to increase the tempo or pedal harder, as opposed to being on the bicycle and YOU deciding how fast you want to go up that hill, or how long you want to keep the cadence above 100. You actually 'move' on a real bicycle too. The stationary bike just wasn't cutting it. I did an hour each day, and didn't have that good work out feeling that I get from riding a real bike.
From New York I headed north to see my Mom and Dad. That was another day sitting in the car. Only this trip was during monsoon weather. It was raining buckets and the wind was blowing 40 - 50 mph gusts. Going over the Tapanzee Bridge in New york, I felt like I was going to be blown over the side. There were 2 spots along the trip where I was detoured from the highway because of high standing water. What was happening was the water was eroding the embankments along the highway, loosening the dirt around the roots of the trees, and the wind was blowing the trees over into the road. The drive that normally takes me 4 hours took me the better part of 6 hours. No working out at my parents house. Not that I couldn't have... I just didn't.
Tuesday I did some visiting with a former teacher and a former sister in law. These visits were preparations for the New England Classic ride in July. My former teacher said that having me in his office was like an episode of "Cold Case". He was picturing me like I was 27 years ago when I was in high school. It was sort of surreal to walk through the high school again. The kids look so young...I was not that young when I went to high school.
Wednesday I was off again, headed home. I snuck out of my parents house at 3:45 a.m. and headed to the New York office. I had a computer that I needed to drop off there, and then I was on my way back to Maryland. Another day in the car, with no exercise... and what is there to do in the car. Driving on long trips is SO boring. It's no wonder I fell asleep at the wheel when I was younger. There is nothing to do when you are driving. Bite your nails and pick your nose... that's about it. The radio is OK for about 15 minutes, then all the songs start sounding the same. This is a perfect scenario for mindless nibbling. Twizzlers are my favorite, but pretzels work just as well, which is what I had with me.
So there you have it. Traveling, coupled with lack of bicycle riding and you gain 2 pounds in 2 weeks. I am scheduled to travel to Chicago the week of the 21st of February. I am looking for a place that rents bicycles in Chicago. I figure I can get a pretty good rate to rent a bicycle in Chicago in the middle of February.
That pretty much gets you up to date. I am very busy at work, getting ready to make the trip to Chicago. I am finishing the flyers and the web site for the New England Classic fundraising, and Emily will be here this weekend. I will post again when before I go to Chicago.
Thanks for reading.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
What would YOU say?
I didn't start this blog with any hopes of spreading a philosophical message, promoting anything (other than myself of course) or writing any controversial entries about my stand on health care, global warming or who should host "The Tonight Show." I'll be traveling next week and will probably not have the opportunity to do a blog entry, and even if I did, how many of you want to hear about the finer points of reconfiguring a firewall? I didn't think so. So I going to deviate from my normal topic... just this once.
With everyone talking about the earthquake in Haiti and devastation there I got to thinking. There is a story about a woman who was trapped for 7 days without food or water, and made it out alive. I wondered what was going through her mind during the time that she was trapped. There is a song about the 13 coal miners in West Virginia that were trapped when their mine shaft collapsed. Only one of them survived. The song is by "Trailer Choir" and it is called "What would you say?" Click to listen here
What would you say? by Trailer Choir
What if the moment came
and you knew your life was down to minutes,
a lighters flame was all you had to see.
and you found a pen and a torn up piece of paper
and a note was all you could leave?
13 men fell trapped in a mine in West Virginia
only one made it out alive.
But their love lives on in the words
"I can not wait to see you, on the other side"
What would you say?
What would you say?
In the lines on a page, from the life that you made
could you write it with no regrets?
Would you know in yourself, you gave somebody else
all the love that you had inside
right down to your last breath?
Would you tell your Mom, Thank you for the way you love me,
Daddy don't cry, everythings gonna be OK
would you tell your little boy, you'll be watching him from up in heaven,
You never miss one game
What would you say?
What would you say?
In the lines on a page, from the life that you made
could you write it with no regrets?
Would you know in yourself, you gave somebody else
all the love that you had inside
right down to your last breath?
What if the moment came
and you knew your life was down to minutes...
I love music! It puts into words feelings that I have a hard time articulating. What would I put on piece of paper if I was down to my last breath? It is a question that I like to toss around while I am riding the bike or driving. It not only helps pass the time but, for me, it helps keep me focused on the things that are important in life.
Ok, I apologize if this was a little "heavy" or too "touchy feely" for some of you. Do with it what you will. If nothing else I have introduced you to a GREAT country group whose other hit is called "Rockin' the Beer Gut!" Click here to listen
Thanks for reading.
With everyone talking about the earthquake in Haiti and devastation there I got to thinking. There is a story about a woman who was trapped for 7 days without food or water, and made it out alive. I wondered what was going through her mind during the time that she was trapped. There is a song about the 13 coal miners in West Virginia that were trapped when their mine shaft collapsed. Only one of them survived. The song is by "Trailer Choir" and it is called "What would you say?" Click to listen here
What would you say? by Trailer Choir
What if the moment came
and you knew your life was down to minutes,
a lighters flame was all you had to see.
and you found a pen and a torn up piece of paper
and a note was all you could leave?
13 men fell trapped in a mine in West Virginia
only one made it out alive.
But their love lives on in the words
"I can not wait to see you, on the other side"
What would you say?
What would you say?
In the lines on a page, from the life that you made
could you write it with no regrets?
Would you know in yourself, you gave somebody else
all the love that you had inside
right down to your last breath?
Would you tell your Mom, Thank you for the way you love me,
Daddy don't cry, everythings gonna be OK
would you tell your little boy, you'll be watching him from up in heaven,
You never miss one game
What would you say?
What would you say?
In the lines on a page, from the life that you made
could you write it with no regrets?
Would you know in yourself, you gave somebody else
all the love that you had inside
right down to your last breath?
What if the moment came
and you knew your life was down to minutes...
I love music! It puts into words feelings that I have a hard time articulating. What would I put on piece of paper if I was down to my last breath? It is a question that I like to toss around while I am riding the bike or driving. It not only helps pass the time but, for me, it helps keep me focused on the things that are important in life.
Ok, I apologize if this was a little "heavy" or too "touchy feely" for some of you. Do with it what you will. If nothing else I have introduced you to a GREAT country group whose other hit is called "Rockin' the Beer Gut!" Click here to listen
Thanks for reading.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Warmer days...
Well, I feel fully recovered from the Tappahannock ride last Saturday. I spent most of Sunday on the couch, watching the Patriots get their butts handed to them by the Ravens. I was glad that I was so tired so I could sleep through the game. It really helped to dull the pain (of the game.)
Monday morning I was back on the bike for a normal 5:45 a.m. ride with the Severna Park Peloton guys. It actually felt good to get back on the bike again. The legs and the toucas were a little sore, but over all, I felt good. Tuesday brought a light dusting of snow (about 1/2 an inch on our driveway) so I did not ride on Tuesday. Wednesday is "Wicked Wednesday" for the 5:45 guys and I almost always pass on Wednesday because riding at breakneck speed in the dark is too much for me. I usually go too slow and end up riding alone. I usually take Wednesday as a recovery day.
Thursday morning, I was back to riding with the 5:45group. I did the hill in Round Bay, and although I was winded at the end... it didn't seem to suck as bad as it usually does. Maybe all the miles I have been logging are paying off?
Typically on Friday morning, there is a group that will ride to City Dock for breakfast, either at Chick and Ruth's or The Hard Bean. Mike, the guy that I rode the Tappahannock 200k with, usually meets a few of his non-cycling friends at City Dock. This particular Friday, Mike was the only cyclist that was continuing on for breakfast. During the early part of the ride, Mike seemed to be lagging behind on some of the rolling hills. I hung back from the main group to stay with Mike as much as I could. After all, I couldn't just leave him, after struggling together less than a week prior. When the group got to the turn around point, Mike headed up Route 2 (a rather busy road that we have to use for a short period of time while snow still covers the trail) and I had a bad feeling about that. I hammered away at the pedals to catch up with the group, and the rest of our ride was uneventful.
Later that day, I was checking emails and there was one from Mike. The subject was "I became a fan of Anne Arundel County FD paramedics." The email went on to detail the unfortunate meeting that his bike had with a car on his way back from breakfast. OK mother, don't freak out... just because I ride a bike, does not mean I am going to get hit by a car. The good news was that Mike was fine. His posterior took the brunt on the impact, and he said that the hood of the car had an impressive imprint of his ass. He was take to the hospital for percautions. Nothing broken, just a sore hind quarter.
It just so happened that Friday evening the SPP was having a Happy Hour (we are a very social group) at a local resteraunt to wrap up some end of the year business. Mike was there and relayed the story as to what happened. He was limping noticably, but at least he was able to walk.
For those of you who know the area, bear with me while I try to describe the road layout for those who are not locals.
As Mike was returning back from City Dock, the normal route would be to take Rt. 450 (a highway with 2 lanes of trafic heading in each direction with a wide median) to Boulter's Way ( a normal 2 lane road) to the Baltimore Annapolis Trail. However, because of the snow and ice on the trail, Mike would have had to walk his bike over the patches of ice, and he made the decision that he did not have time for that. He had to get to work. He proceeded straight on 450 and merged onto Route 2. The merge area is very busy with traffic from Route 450, Route 50 East and Route 50 West merging onto Route 2. Mike navigated this merge area safely and proceeded to the first traffic signal at Arnold Rd.
As you leave the merge area heading to Arnold Rd, you go down a fairly long hill and then have to pedal up a hill to get to the Arnold Rd. traffic light. On the other side if the traffic light, there is a downhill, and at the bottom of that hill, Mike planned to take a left, which meant that he would have to cross 3 lanes of trafic to make it to the left turning lane. As he rode through the light, it had just turned green, so there was a line of traffic that had been sitting at the light. He waited for that traffic to go by as he rode down the hill. Looking back, he saw a break in the traffic and began merging across the lanes. He made it over one lane, then into the next and just as he was getting ready to get into the turning lane, he heard a horn and felt the bike shoot out from under his legs.
The paramedics are less then a mile away, and they were there almost immediately. He was well taken care of. Taken to the hospital, x-ray's were taken and he was released and well enough to make it to Happy Hour. Many things worked in his favor... the car hit him pretty squarly from behind, as opposed to broadsiding him. The driver had enough time to hit the horn, and we all are assuming that she hit the brakes at the same time, so before impact the car had slowed a little bit.Mike will get a copy of the police report, and file a claim with his insurance and go from there.
So, who's fault was it? I have ridden my bike through that intersection, and I have driven my car through that intersection. Without having been there to witness exactly what happened, it is too hard to tell. I know Mike and I just got through riding 129 miles with him. He is not one that takes unnecessary risks on the bicycle. He wears a full vest of reflective material, has headlights, and flashing tail lights on his bike. Depending on how high up on the hill Mike decided to cross traffic, the car may not have seen him as she crested the hill and drove through the intersection. It is possible that she came over the hill and there was Mike, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Mike joined us for breakfast this morning (...he drove his truck) and gave us an update. His butt is feeling better, his bike went into the shop on Saturday. The rear wheel is cracked and needs to be replaced, handle bar tape needs to be replaced and a battery that attaches to his bike frame went into the road and got run over by several cars, and needs to be replaced. We are all happy that it was not any worse than it was.
I know, my mother will tell me 14times the next time I talk to her to be careful. I am very careful and I always assume that the driver will make the worst possible choice, and I plan accordingly. As a driver, I also am careful... assuming that the cyclist will make the worst possible choice, and I plan accordingly. I would ask everyone that reads this to be mindful of the cyclist that they pass, and I know for the fact that not all cyclist are the most courteous or considerate folks on the road, but then again.... neither are the drivers. Please be careful.
Thanks for reading.
Monday morning I was back on the bike for a normal 5:45 a.m. ride with the Severna Park Peloton guys. It actually felt good to get back on the bike again. The legs and the toucas were a little sore, but over all, I felt good. Tuesday brought a light dusting of snow (about 1/2 an inch on our driveway) so I did not ride on Tuesday. Wednesday is "Wicked Wednesday" for the 5:45 guys and I almost always pass on Wednesday because riding at breakneck speed in the dark is too much for me. I usually go too slow and end up riding alone. I usually take Wednesday as a recovery day.
Thursday morning, I was back to riding with the 5:45group. I did the hill in Round Bay, and although I was winded at the end... it didn't seem to suck as bad as it usually does. Maybe all the miles I have been logging are paying off?
Typically on Friday morning, there is a group that will ride to City Dock for breakfast, either at Chick and Ruth's or The Hard Bean. Mike, the guy that I rode the Tappahannock 200k with, usually meets a few of his non-cycling friends at City Dock. This particular Friday, Mike was the only cyclist that was continuing on for breakfast. During the early part of the ride, Mike seemed to be lagging behind on some of the rolling hills. I hung back from the main group to stay with Mike as much as I could. After all, I couldn't just leave him, after struggling together less than a week prior. When the group got to the turn around point, Mike headed up Route 2 (a rather busy road that we have to use for a short period of time while snow still covers the trail) and I had a bad feeling about that. I hammered away at the pedals to catch up with the group, and the rest of our ride was uneventful.
Later that day, I was checking emails and there was one from Mike. The subject was "I became a fan of Anne Arundel County FD paramedics." The email went on to detail the unfortunate meeting that his bike had with a car on his way back from breakfast. OK mother, don't freak out... just because I ride a bike, does not mean I am going to get hit by a car. The good news was that Mike was fine. His posterior took the brunt on the impact, and he said that the hood of the car had an impressive imprint of his ass. He was take to the hospital for percautions. Nothing broken, just a sore hind quarter.
It just so happened that Friday evening the SPP was having a Happy Hour (we are a very social group) at a local resteraunt to wrap up some end of the year business. Mike was there and relayed the story as to what happened. He was limping noticably, but at least he was able to walk.
For those of you who know the area, bear with me while I try to describe the road layout for those who are not locals.
As Mike was returning back from City Dock, the normal route would be to take Rt. 450 (a highway with 2 lanes of trafic heading in each direction with a wide median) to Boulter's Way ( a normal 2 lane road) to the Baltimore Annapolis Trail. However, because of the snow and ice on the trail, Mike would have had to walk his bike over the patches of ice, and he made the decision that he did not have time for that. He had to get to work. He proceeded straight on 450 and merged onto Route 2. The merge area is very busy with traffic from Route 450, Route 50 East and Route 50 West merging onto Route 2. Mike navigated this merge area safely and proceeded to the first traffic signal at Arnold Rd.
As you leave the merge area heading to Arnold Rd, you go down a fairly long hill and then have to pedal up a hill to get to the Arnold Rd. traffic light. On the other side if the traffic light, there is a downhill, and at the bottom of that hill, Mike planned to take a left, which meant that he would have to cross 3 lanes of trafic to make it to the left turning lane. As he rode through the light, it had just turned green, so there was a line of traffic that had been sitting at the light. He waited for that traffic to go by as he rode down the hill. Looking back, he saw a break in the traffic and began merging across the lanes. He made it over one lane, then into the next and just as he was getting ready to get into the turning lane, he heard a horn and felt the bike shoot out from under his legs.
The paramedics are less then a mile away, and they were there almost immediately. He was well taken care of. Taken to the hospital, x-ray's were taken and he was released and well enough to make it to Happy Hour. Many things worked in his favor... the car hit him pretty squarly from behind, as opposed to broadsiding him. The driver had enough time to hit the horn, and we all are assuming that she hit the brakes at the same time, so before impact the car had slowed a little bit.Mike will get a copy of the police report, and file a claim with his insurance and go from there.
So, who's fault was it? I have ridden my bike through that intersection, and I have driven my car through that intersection. Without having been there to witness exactly what happened, it is too hard to tell. I know Mike and I just got through riding 129 miles with him. He is not one that takes unnecessary risks on the bicycle. He wears a full vest of reflective material, has headlights, and flashing tail lights on his bike. Depending on how high up on the hill Mike decided to cross traffic, the car may not have seen him as she crested the hill and drove through the intersection. It is possible that she came over the hill and there was Mike, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Mike joined us for breakfast this morning (...he drove his truck) and gave us an update. His butt is feeling better, his bike went into the shop on Saturday. The rear wheel is cracked and needs to be replaced, handle bar tape needs to be replaced and a battery that attaches to his bike frame went into the road and got run over by several cars, and needs to be replaced. We are all happy that it was not any worse than it was.
I know, my mother will tell me 14times the next time I talk to her to be careful. I am very careful and I always assume that the driver will make the worst possible choice, and I plan accordingly. As a driver, I also am careful... assuming that the cyclist will make the worst possible choice, and I plan accordingly. I would ask everyone that reads this to be mindful of the cyclist that they pass, and I know for the fact that not all cyclist are the most courteous or considerate folks on the road, but then again.... neither are the drivers. Please be careful.
Thanks for reading.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tappahannock 200k - 01/09/2010
Saturday morning came early and after gearing up, checking out of the hotel and breakfast at the local Waffle House we were off to the start of the ride. No one wanted to verbalize what the temperature actually was, but I later found out that it was 15 degree at 0700, which was start time. There were 33 riders at the start which included 15 from Severna Park Peloton. It was nice to have a bunch of familiar faces around for my first brevet. When the clock struck 0700, everyone was off. We headed down Rte 54 in Ashland as a massive train of bicycles and flashing red tail lights. Only 129 miles to go.
In hind sight, if I had to put my finger on one thing that made the brevet a success for me, it would be my decision to ride with a buddy. Mike Binnix and I had decided before the event that we would stick together throughout the ride. For me, this proved to be critical throughout the entire day. So, as the group began to break up, Mike and I set out towards the first control. Prior to reaching the first control we had to make a quick stop at an Exxon Station to put hot water into our frozen water bottles. The caps full of bourbon that we put in them prior to the start did not keep them from freezing like we had hoped. We walked into the gas station and there were couches and a fire in the fireplace... I could have very easily stayed right there for the rest of the day. We didn't. Hot water in the bottles and it was back on the road.
On the road again, headed to control # 2 at Java Jacks in Tappahannock, VA. This was only a 27.4 mile leg in the journey, but it proved to be a very trying leg. A couple miles out from the first control, we discovered that the wind was no longer at our backs. Mike and I took turns riding in front to cut through the wind just enough to give the other person just enough of a break to recover so that they could take their turn in the front. In addition to the wind, we encountered many sections of the road that still had ice and snow on them. For the most part, if we were careful we could coast over them. It seemed that these patches were mostly on the downward side of the rolling hills, so what little reprise we would garner from the downhills was thwarted by having to slow down considerable to navigate the ice and snow patches. I am happy to report that neither of us fell off our bikes. A few miles before the second control, I began feeling the first signs of physical pain. It was in my shoulders and at the base of my neck, from supporting the weight of my upper body for so many miles. I moved my hands from the top off the handlebars, to the brake hoods and into the drops, but could not find much relief. I made it to Java Jacks ready for a break.
Lunch at Java Jacks was good. Turkey Rueben with fries and a mocha latte. The service was a little slow, and we spent more time at that control than I think anyone would have liked. Janet, Bill, Gardner and Theresa had just sat down and ordered, so we sat at a table next to them. Java Jacks is an old house converted into a coffee house/restaurant. They have tables set up in the different "rooms" of the house. There were 4 table in the room we were in. Mike and I were at one and the other 4 bikers were at another. The 2 other tables were filled with Tappahannock towns folk. As they were leaving they told us that we needed to get scooters or something. If it was under 70 degrees it was too cold to be outside riding a bike. They then wished us well on our ride and they were gone... probably wondering in the back of their minds "...what is wrong with these people?"
While at Java Jacks I texted the 3 girls to give them a progress report on where I was and how I was doing. I was surprised to get replies from all 3 of them and the words of encouragement really did help me through the last part of the ride. Thanks girls!
Before leaving Java Jacks, I did a conscious 'self' check to try and identify anything that I could do to make the remaining 57 more miles any more comfortable. My glove liners were keeping the moisture off my hands, my layers of Under Armour were keeping my dry and warm, my toes were not cold, my full hood was pretty wet and I knew it would be cold putting that back on, so I put on my spare, dry hood. We were ready to go, and the 6 of us decided to leave together top help battle the winds as a group. After fixing a flat on Bill's bike in the parking lot, we were on our way. We all stayed in loose contact to the next control. On this leg of the ride, my neck and shoulder pain increased. I was also beginning to doubt my lunch choice. I knew that I needed to eat (take in calories) to compensate for the calories I was expending, but while riding after eating such a big lunch, the thought of eating anything was now repulsive. (I know, can you believe I said that?) I was doing my best to drink the water in my water bottles, but I knew I wasn't drinking enough of that either.
Mile 98, and we were at Sparta Fastmart, the third control. Janet was there first, and was walking out as we were walking in. She asked if anyone wanted a fig-newtons. That sounded really good to me, so I set off into the Fast Mart to find a package of fig-newtons. To save my life, I couldn't find the damn figs. The woman at the Fast Mart was so helpful...she was on the phone... deep in conversation... and when I asked her where the fig-newtons were she pointed in the general direction of the entire store and promptly continued her phone conversation. No figs in my future. I settled for peanut butter crackers. I ate one as we were leaving the third control. It tasted horrible and I am not sure if it was because after 98 miles of riding ANYTHING would have tasted horrible, or if it was because I REALLY wanted Fig-newtons.
Headed to Control #4. 16.3 miles ahead. My neck is still hurting and I need to eat and drink. By the time we reach the 4th control it is dark, and as previously agreed upon, we were not going to linger at ALL at this control. Get the card signed, and move on. I managed to eat another peanut butter cracker and drink some water, and we were on our way.
Next stop... Ashland Tea and Coffee shop... aka The End. We were 14 miles from the finish. As I was leaving Control #4, in my mind I was thinking... 14 miles is not so bad. That's what we normally do on our 5:45 rides. WRONG! Remember when I told you that 'easy' is a relative term? after 114 miles, 14 MORE miles is not so 'easy'. With the sun down, I was starting to get a little cold and I struggled with my neck and shoulders the rest of the way. I was trying every conceivable position that I could to try and get comfortable for just a few minutes. I was more restless during the last 14 miles than a 2 year old in church on a Sunday morning.
As we approached the metropolis of Ashland (the center of the universe) we could hear the train whistles blowing, and we could see a couple of traffic signals ahead. The end was in sight. We rode through the intersections, and just as we were about to arrive at Ashland Tea and Coffee shop, the railroad crossing lights start blinking and the crossing arms go across the road. We can literally see the end, but we are forced to wait another 5 minutes while the Amtrak takes on and discharges passengers. Finally, the arms go up, and we pull into the Coffee shop parking lot. We made it. 128.8 miles, 11 hours and 57 minutes.
We entered the coffee shop to a round of applause from our Severna Park Peloton friends as well as other randonneurs that were still there. I signed and turned in my control sheet and was congratulated by several people... at this point I can't really remember who they all were. I was done... on so many levels.
It was very emotional for me when I finished. One year ago, I couldn't climb the stairs at home without being out of breath, yet here I was cycling 129 miles in one day. I think that's pretty good improvement.
After we changed into dry, normal clothes the 9 remaining SPP folks headed out for pizza and beer. A great ending to a great day. Check out Clint's photos of the entire event.
I am STILL analyzing the good and bad of this ride. What would I do differently, what would I keep the same etc. That list is not complete yet, but I have come up with a few things that I am quite sure of.
1. The buddy system is a great way to go.
2. Solid foods... not so much on the rides. I might even have to try the Gu food (sorry Emily)
3. I am not ready to start an R-12 (one brevet a months for 12 consecutive months), but I do know that this was not my last brevet.
Thanks for checking out my blog. Keep coming back.
Monday, January 4, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR
I apologize for taking so long between posts. It has been a busy week. Christmas was wonderful, as usual, and I am one year older than I was when I last posted. Emily was with us for a week and we are now into 2010. WOW.
On Christmas morning Tiffany joined us to open gifts. In the past, we have waited until Emily came up and we'd open our gifts together, but with Tiffany trying to juggle time with her Dad and his family, her boyfriend and his family and her Mom and her family we have learned to be flexible. I think she does a great job of making sure that all the bases are covered and no one feels slighted.
After opening gifts with Tiffany, Bev and I were off to Tappahannock to pick up Emily and see Amanda and Destini. Tappahannock is the halfway point between us in Maryland and Emily in Virginia Beach. Emily's mother is kind enough to meet us halfway on Christmas day to help minimize the amount of driving. She usually brings Amanda and Destini with her and we have our own little red neck gift exchange in the Sheetz station parking lot. Destini had a very Tinkerbell Christmas. She was very tired, and with all of the attention on her she was a handful. As is always the case, it was nice to see her and Amanda, even if it was only for a short period of time.
When we returned home, Emily opened her presents. Her favorite gifts were her record player (yup, you read that correctly, vinyl...LP's...45's...) and her Harvard hoodie (direct from the Harvard bookstore in Cambridge). To cap off a wonderful Christmas, we headed over to Bev's Mom's house for some ham and fixin's, apple cake, coffee and warm conversation.
The following day, as you all should know, was my birthday. Bev does a fantastic job of making sure that my birthday celebration is completely separate from Christmas. She makes sure that my birthday gifts are all wrapped in birthday paper... not Christmas paper or even holiday neutral paper. I got lots of great gifts for my birthday. Mostly gift cards from my favorite places (Starbucks, The Olive Garden and The Bike Doctor) as well as tickets to see Terri Clarke. She will be at Ram's Head on Stage in Annapolis on Feb 21st. It is an acoustic performance of just her and her guitar. She is one of my favorite country singers and she puts on an awesome show. So, with the concert being in Feb, I am able to stretch my birthday week out just a little bit further.
This New Years eve we all actually stayed awake and watched the ball drop...because we were babysitting! Eddie and Tracie, the couple that Tiffany babysits for on a regular basis needed someone to babysit their 3 kids (one 3 year old and a set of twins about a year and a half old). Tiffany had plans with Josh and friends, so Tracie called Bev and we ended up hanging out at their house until the wee hours of the morning. They also have 2 dogs, so Emily was having a great time "doggie sitting" while Bev was baby sitting. I was pretty much... just... sitting.
That brings us into 2010. As far as resolutions go, I resolved a few years ago to not make any more resolutions... and I have stuck to that. Looking forward, I am optimistic that 2010 will afford me the opportunity to continue those good things that I started in 2009.
For those interested, next weekend is the Tappahannock 200k brevet. I have just about everything that I need, with the exception of a few small items like tubes, and air cartridges in the event of a flat. Sunday I rode (see my 2010 Training Log link) in the cold (18 degree with a wind chill of 2) to see how my 'layered' approach to warmth and wind was going to work. I have to say that I was warm throughout the entire ride, with the exception of the little spot on my forehead that was exposed. I also used the ride on Sunday practice eating while riding the bike. I know, it sounds pretty simple, but with big gloves on, trying to unwrap chewy granola bars and ride a bike... not so simple. I think I came up with a system that will work. I'll let you know. The ride on Sunday also taught me that 'chewy' granola bars, when exposed to 20 degree temps do not stay 'chewy'.
I will do another entry probably on Thursday or Friday to let you all know where I am at physically and mentally for the brevet on Saturday. I am cautiously optimistic that I will be fine, after all... it's only 129 miles.
On Christmas morning Tiffany joined us to open gifts. In the past, we have waited until Emily came up and we'd open our gifts together, but with Tiffany trying to juggle time with her Dad and his family, her boyfriend and his family and her Mom and her family we have learned to be flexible. I think she does a great job of making sure that all the bases are covered and no one feels slighted.
After opening gifts with Tiffany, Bev and I were off to Tappahannock to pick up Emily and see Amanda and Destini. Tappahannock is the halfway point between us in Maryland and Emily in Virginia Beach. Emily's mother is kind enough to meet us halfway on Christmas day to help minimize the amount of driving. She usually brings Amanda and Destini with her and we have our own little red neck gift exchange in the Sheetz station parking lot. Destini had a very Tinkerbell Christmas. She was very tired, and with all of the attention on her she was a handful. As is always the case, it was nice to see her and Amanda, even if it was only for a short period of time.
The following day, as you all should know, was my birthday. Bev does a fantastic job of making sure that my birthday celebration is completely separate from Christmas. She makes sure that my birthday gifts are all wrapped in birthday paper... not Christmas paper or even holiday neutral paper. I got lots of great gifts for my birthday. Mostly gift cards from my favorite places (Starbucks, The Olive Garden and The Bike Doctor) as well as tickets to see Terri Clarke. She will be at Ram's Head on Stage in Annapolis on Feb 21st. It is an acoustic performance of just her and her guitar. She is one of my favorite country singers and she puts on an awesome show. So, with the concert being in Feb, I am able to stretch my birthday week out just a little bit further.
This New Years eve we all actually stayed awake and watched the ball drop...because we were babysitting! Eddie and Tracie, the couple that Tiffany babysits for on a regular basis needed someone to babysit their 3 kids (one 3 year old and a set of twins about a year and a half old). Tiffany had plans with Josh and friends, so Tracie called Bev and we ended up hanging out at their house until the wee hours of the morning. They also have 2 dogs, so Emily was having a great time "doggie sitting" while Bev was baby sitting. I was pretty much... just... sitting.
That brings us into 2010. As far as resolutions go, I resolved a few years ago to not make any more resolutions... and I have stuck to that. Looking forward, I am optimistic that 2010 will afford me the opportunity to continue those good things that I started in 2009.
For those interested, next weekend is the Tappahannock 200k brevet. I have just about everything that I need, with the exception of a few small items like tubes, and air cartridges in the event of a flat. Sunday I rode (see my 2010 Training Log link) in the cold (18 degree with a wind chill of 2) to see how my 'layered' approach to warmth and wind was going to work. I have to say that I was warm throughout the entire ride, with the exception of the little spot on my forehead that was exposed. I also used the ride on Sunday practice eating while riding the bike. I know, it sounds pretty simple, but with big gloves on, trying to unwrap chewy granola bars and ride a bike... not so simple. I think I came up with a system that will work. I'll let you know. The ride on Sunday also taught me that 'chewy' granola bars, when exposed to 20 degree temps do not stay 'chewy'.
I will do another entry probably on Thursday or Friday to let you all know where I am at physically and mentally for the brevet on Saturday. I am cautiously optimistic that I will be fine, after all... it's only 129 miles.
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